


All Weather's

by xspike4evax



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, First Kiss, Series of One Shots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-19
Updated: 2019-03-24
Packaged: 2019-09-23 00:15:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 30,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17069891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xspike4evax/pseuds/xspike4evax
Summary: Draco and Luna meet in all weather's.This was written a long time ago in response to a weather challenge.A series of one shot's, which don't follow on from each other.Not all are explicit. I'll mark the explicit ones with an E so they can easily be skipped if that's not your thing.





	1. Thunder Storm (E)

Black clouds scudded across the inky sky above Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Draco Malfoy cursed under his breath as he hurried over the wet grass, slipping and sliding on the muck and the leaves, trying to keep his balance as he headed for the only spot of light on the horizon; the window of Hagrid's hut. Draco disliked Hagrid intensely, and it grated on his nerves that he was going to be forced to ask the half giant for help in returning to school. 

Icy cold needle's of rain pricked his face, sharp and stinging causing him to shiver in his wet clothes. Teeth chattering, Draco pushed himself forward, blinking through his waterlogged eyelashes. The thunder rumbled over head like the growling of a dragon and the strong wind crashed into him, sending his slender body careening sideways into a patch of bushes. 

Draco cursed loudly, his words swallowed up by the wind and tossed away into the night like bits of confetti. Struggling with the bramble thorns gripping at his clothes and ripping at the skin of his hands, Draco freed himself, and hurried to the little hut, the rain pelting him now; falling harder and faster filling the air around him, plastering his shirt to his body and chilling his skin. 

Draco didn't bother to knock when he reached the door he simply grasped the metal handle with fingers that were so cold he didn't even register the handle was wet and cold itself, and yanked open the door. 

Stumbling into the light and warmth of Hagrid's home he issued his demand immediately. "You'll have to take me back to the castle. I can barely see a thing out there and I'm soaked through." 

"It is rather dark out there now, isn't it? I suspect that's why Hagrid isn't here, he's probably staying up at the castle. Dangerous to be out in this weather you know." 

Draco stood on the welcome mat dripping water everywhere and staring stupidly at Luna Lovegood who was sitting beside the fire. "You?" 

"Me," she agreed with a sweet smile. "Did you get caught in the storm too, Draco?" 

"Oh no," Draco responded scathingly, "I just love to go walking around in the thunder and the rain getting soaked to the skin." 

Luna sighed quietly but chose to ignore his attitude. She stretched out her toes and wiggled them in the heat from the fire. "Why don't you take your wet things off, Draco and sit by the fire?" 

Draco quirked an eyebrow and smirked at her. "Want to see me naked do you, Lovegood?" 

"Not particularly," she replied, completely unfazed,. "There's a blanket hanging over the chair, it's bound to be warmer than your wet clothes. That's why I took mine off." She pointed to her clothes hanging up over a piece of rope strung over the fire. Luna had suspected Hagrid used the rope for the same purpose. 

"Well I'm not changing with you sitting there staring at me!" Draco snapped, annoyed that she had given him a perfectly valid way to get warm and dry, one he had honestly not thought of. His annoyance hiked itself up a couple of notches when he saw Luna roll her eyes before she turned her back on him. 

It was only then Draco realised he was shivering so much his muscles were bunching and starting to ache from the strain. His teeth were chattering loudly in his head again now he had stopped talking and he crossed the room to the blanket Luna had pointed out to him using it to rub at his blonde hair. 

He glanced across at her. She was sat with her back to him, angled towards the fire; her long, dirty blonde hair hung down her back; wet and bedraggled like rats tails. From the way it fell her hair obscured one shoulder but the other was left bare and slender with pale skin glowing in the light of the fire. 

Blinking, Draco turned away from Luna to concentrate on getting his clothes off. He was so cold he could barely feel his fingers and he wiggled them for a moment trying to get his circulation to flow better. "Fuck it!" he hissed through clenched teeth when he couldn’t seem to get a proper grip on the buttons of his shirt. 

"Something wrong?" Luna queried, running her fingers through the knotted ends of her hair. 

"I can't undo my buttons, my fingers don't work," he complained bitterly. 

Luna stood, wrapping the blanket around her toga style and turned to help him. "I'll do it, my fingers have thawed out. Considering it was a nice day today the temperature has really dropped, it must be below zero out there." 

"You don't have to tell me," Draco retorted. "I was out there too." 

"Just making conversation," Luna replied airily, again unfazed by his rudeness and concentrating on the buttons of his shirt. "Oh Draco, you're chilled to the bone," she exclaimed pressing her palm flat to his bare chest. "Let's hurry up and get that blanket round you, you'll catch a cold." Without warning, Luna dropped her hands to his trousers and began to work on his belt. Draco managed to catch her eye and he expected her to blush and look away, what he got was the full force of Luna's unwavering stare. Her silvery grey eyes held his, staring so intently at him that for an instant Draco thought she could see into his soul. 

The belt jangled when she let it go and she popped the button effortlessly. Tiny fingers caught hold of the zip, the hiss sounded loud to Draco's ears as she unfastened his trousers and he was furious when he was the one to blush and look away. 

"Can you mange on your own from here?" 

"Yes," he spat out crossly. 

Luna gave him a curious look, but then she simply shrugged and turned away to give him his privacy. Instead of going back to the fire, Luna went to the window; kneeling on a battered old trunk below it she rested her arms on the wide windowsill and stared out into the ever darkening night. 

The light from the moon had been blocked out and everything seemed dark and sinister to Luna's over active imagination. The clouds broke suddenly and a beautiful electric blue lit up the sky just over the Forbidden Forest as lightening struck. It was followed by a deafening roar of thunder and Luna shuddered. 

Draco, now with a blanket wrapped around him joined her at the window. White lightening came again, cracking the heavens in two, with smaller tendrils forking from it spreading across the sky and illuminating the tree tops. 

"I hope the forest doesn't catch fire," Draco muttered. 

Luna pursed her lips. "I bet you always think the glass is half empty." 

"It's a perfectly reasonable thought in weather like this," Draco defended himself. 

"Yes, I suppose it is," Luna agreed, drifting towards the fire. "It's powerful and majestic isn't it, nature I mean. At least, I've always thought so." 

Draco grunted in response. It was just his luck that he was stuck here with the school lunatic. He supposed it could always have been worse, he could have Granger as a companion. Draco shuddered violently, how awful that would have been! Or Potter; Draco scowled at the mere thought of Potter, it was Potter's fault he was stuck here as it was. 

He had potions with Potter at the end of the day and all Slughorn could do for the entire lesson was simper and coo over Potter. Kissing his ass at every opportunity. It got right up Draco's nose so naturally he had to make a comment to Potter upon leaving the class, that had resulted in a fierce exchange of insults between him and Potter with the mudblood Granger sticking her nose in and trying to convince Potter to walk away, stating that he, Draco wasn't worth it. With his blood boiling and the urge to hex Potter into next week burning in the pit of his stomach, Draco had decided to go for a walk to calm down and then the storm had hit trapping him here with Lovegood. 

Draco was pulled out of his thoughts when the thunder crashed with so much force the windows rattled in their frames and lightening tore through the sky throwing Draco into a spotlight for a moment. 

He left the window with the sound of the howling wind in his ears and sat next to Luna on the carpet before the fire. "So, how did you end up caught in the storm?" 

"I was down by the lake, if the wind had been blowing the other way I would probably have been swept into the water." Gathering her long hair into her hands she lifted it from her neck for a moment, cracking her neck and rolling her shoulders. "It was getting too dark and raining too hard for me to get back to the castle and Hagrid's place was the only shelter in sight. I thought I'd be stuck here all by myself until you came through the door, it's nice to have a little company." 

"Hum," Draco supposed that it was better to have her there as not, at least he had someone to shout at and insult if she annoyed him too much. 

"How about you? Where did you come from?" 

"Just taking a walk to cool off. I had a bit of an altercation with Scarhead." 

"Oh that's right, you and Harry don't get along too well, do you?" 

"Not at all," Draco said firmly. 

"I like him," Luna said mildly. 

Draco scowled, remembering now that she was friends with The Annoying One. "I don't see why, all he ever does is find some way to get himself into the papers. He's only happy when everyone is making a fuss over him and talking about him. He always has to make everything about him. There's nothing interesting about him, he's not even remotely good at anything! Bloody Chosen One my ass!" 

As he talked, Luna studied Draco with undisguised interest. His personality was at odds with his good looks which made him handsome in an extremely annoying kind of way. Luna wasn't sure if she wanted to kiss him or kick him. He had lovely eyes though, Luna really liked his eyes, deep and grey, mesmerising; as though they hid a horde of secrets. He had a long nose and a pointed chin and his lips, the bottom one slightly fuller than the top one looked simply delicious. She honed in on Draco's lips, watching their movements as they formed his words and she wondered what they tasted like. 

"Draco," Luna interrupted his tirade on Harry. "How do you like to kiss?" 

"I... you... What?" Draco blinked rapidly, his mouth moving silently. 

The lightning flashed outside the window again throwing the room into a hazy blue light and highlighting Draco's eyes, giving them the illusion of glittering like two gems. His face was a comic picture, but Luna didn't notice, she was waiting patiently for his reply. 

"I said, how do you like to kiss?" Luna repeated when it became clear Draco was too shocked to form any words. 

"How do I like to... are you out of your mind?" 

"It's a simple question, Draco. You must like one way better than another," Luna reasoned. 

"For Merlin's sake." Draco ran a hand through his hair, glancing warily around the room as if he expected Hagrid or Potter to suddenly appear from under the bed. 

"You've been kissed before, Draco, haven't you?" 

"Well of course I have," Draco snapped, his face flushing uncomfortably. "But you don't just ask someone that... you just don't," he said exasperated. "This is a stupid thing to be talking about." 

"You’re right, Draco," Luna conceded. "It is stupid to talk about it when we could just do it." 

"What....?" Draco didn't have time to say anything else before Luna's lips were on his. 

Her lips were soft and warm and she took so much time over that one kiss that Draco's heart was pounding in his ears by the time she moved back, gasping for air herself.

"I think you like it slow," Luna's voice was a little breathless when she spoke. 

Draco stared at her, unable to form a clear thought. Finally, he drew himself back to the present. "Oh do you?" his lips curled into a smirk. 

Luna swallowed nervously, unsure now as to what she had actually started. For the first time since he had undressed Luna realised that Draco was probably as naked beneath his blanket as she was beneath hers. The thought was both frightening and erotic to her. "Yes," she managed to force the words out past a dry throat. "Yes I do." 

Draco's hands curled around her shoulders, drawing her closer, he kissed her. It was a kiss that started off slow and deep, his tongue flickering against her mouth, being granted entrance only to stroke against hers in such a sensual manner Luna was helpless to do anything other than respond and the kiss somehow ignited into something hot and intense. 

He finally released her when breathing became too pressing an issue, and while the storm raged outside, and the wind shrieked like an escaped banshee around the house, pushing at the tiles on the roof causing the rafters to moan in protest, Draco's mind worked busily. He was pleased to note the flush of Luna's cheeks and the way she kept her lips parted just so in invitation to another kiss, and he thought he might just take up that invitation. After all, with a storm battering at the walls of the house they couldn't go anywhere and there wasn't exactly anything else to do. 

"Aren't you going to kiss me again?" 

The question irked Draco a little, he was pretty sure he was not in control of the situation and he was unsure as to how that had happened. "Yes, if you like." He strove for indifference, as though it really didn't bother him whether he kissed her again or not. 

Draco couldn't deny to himself however that he did want to kiss Luna again. He promptly seized her in his arms and kissed her, sliding his tongue past her parted lips in a caress that Luna instantly responded to with equal fervour. He felt a surge of triumph when Luna's breath quickened with his own and he hauled her closer, pulling her into his lap where he could touch her. 

He started at her face, cupping her cheek, angling her slightly to enable him to get a better hold of her and deepen his kiss. His fingers fanned out over her neck and his thumb stroked idly against her pulse point. His fingers moved downwards, tracing the curve of her neck, the dip of her collar bone and brushing over the swelling of her breast. 

Luna's breath caught in the back of her throat and Draco felt himself harden. He broke the kiss, "No?" 

"Yes." 

If the lightening had come in through the window and hit him where he sat, Draco was pretty sure he wouldn't have been more shocked than he was right now. He had asked the question because... well, Draco wasn't really sure why he had asked the question because he had assumed the answer would be no. But Luna had said yes, and Draco was suddenly filled with the urge to hear that word from her again, or to hear her speak his name in a breathy moan or a shout of pleasure. 

It was Luna who returned her mouth to his, her lips coaxing, her tongue tasting with a new hunger Draco instantly recognised and his hand slid beneath the rough fabric of the blanket to trace the outline of her breast which was now taunt and sensitive, sending a fire streaking through her body. 

Rain slashed nosily against the window and lightening lit up the room again followed by a crash of thunder louder than anything which had come before it and seemed to vibrate around the room. 

The noise filled Luna's ears and she wiggled in Draco's lap, trying to get closer to him hoping he would block the noise out. 

The feel of her brushing against him, even covered with the blankets was severely testing Draco's patience and he tugged at the blanket until it slid from her shoulders and he was able to cup both breasts in his hands. He felt her moan against his mouth as his fingers stroked over her nipples enticing her to let go; she shifted in his lap again and dug her fingers into his shoulders. 

His mouth left hers to move down her throat in a hot, erotic trail and she quivered in delight. His teeth sank gently into her collar bone before continuing over her shoulder and her body tightened in anticipation when his lips finally reached the swelling of her breast. Bending her over his arm Draco took the agonisingly sensitive nipple into his mouth and was rewarded with a sharp cry of pleasure. 

Draco sucked lightly, passing his tongue over her nipple again and again with cat-like licks, the scratch of her nails in his shoulders and down his back alerting him that he was doing all the right things. 

Feeling safe in Draco's grasp, Luna allowed her hold on him to relax so she could trace his spine with the tips of her fingers. She felt him shiver and allowed herself a little smile. Her hands brushed over his side and inched their way up over his ribs with slow, teasing caresses until her thumb nail could scrape over one nipple. 

With unsteady hands, Draco pulled almost violently at the blankets between them, his mouth against hers again, kissing her franticly as their bodies came into contact. Luna's breath wheezed past her lips when Draco returned his mouth to her breast, taking her other nipple between his lips this time and locking an arm around her wait to keep her steady as his other hand smoothed over her thigh and dipped between her legs. Luna cried out when he pressed two fingers inside her. Her body bathed in flames already she rocked against his hand as he caused an almost unbearable ache to thrum throughout her entire body. 

Draco groaned, she was so hot, so wet already and it was all because of him, all for him. 

"I want to touch you, Draco." Her lips brushed against his ear as she spoke, the tip of her tongue darting out to lick at the shell of his ear. 

"I've got you," he mumbled against her breast. It was all the confirmation Luna needed and she released her hold on his one shoulder to slip her hand between their heated bodies and curl her fingers around him. 

He jerked in her palm as she stroked him, slowly at first as she adjusted to the awkward angle of her hand but Luna managed to match the rhythm he was using against her. Draco was soon panting against her neck, sucking the salty flesh into his mouth as Luna moaned in pleasure.

"Draco," she managed to say, "Now, Draco." 

Draco gave her one more stroke for good measure and removed his hand, curling both around her waist as she shifted in his lap. Wrapping her arms around his neck, her fingers burrowing into his hair, Luna lowered herself onto his straining erection with an earthy groan which matched his. Draco's eyes closed to better savour the feeling of pleasure at sliding home inside her. 

She was delicious, Draco thought as his hips pushed upwards, moving inside her, filling her completely. He heard it then, as her head fell back, the breathy moan of his name he had been waiting for and a smug smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

Luna's head fell forward with a sigh of rapture. Resting her forehead against his she was somehow able to speak past her ragged breathing. "So good, Draco."

Damn right it was good! Draco's fingers tightened on her waist as he thrust up just as she pushed down and their bodies met together in a delightfully gratifying rhythm. "Bloody hell!" he hissed as pleasure flooded every nerve in his body. It had never been like this before, now Draco knew where the phrase mind blowing sex had come from. Luna was Potter's friend, the good girl, and every time he thrust into Luna causing her to make that keening sound in the back of her throat; he was sticking it to Potter.

Luna's urgent hips pushing against him lost their tempo somewhat as her body quaked and she reached blindly for her release which caused Draco to lose what little control he had. He held her body tightly with one arm to give him enough leverage while his other hand dipped between her legs to press against the hard little bundle of nerves at the apex of her thighs as he took her with a thrusting, breakneck speed towards the ultimate pleasure.

He fell first with a cry even the thunder couldn't drown out, and while he was still throbbing with his own release Draco drove deeper into her, and Luna screamed his name, her nails digging painfully into his scalp as her climax rippled around him.

Exhausted, Luna and Draco slumped against each other, muscles relaxed with release, bodies hot and skin slick with perspiration.

The storm was still blowing furiously outside and the thunder and lightning did it's double act again, flashing through the window throwing Draco's face into the stark light and Luna thought he had never looked so handsome to her as he did now, contented and sated with a look of masculine pride on his face and his eyes like melted silver.

Luna glanced at the window as again the lightening forked through the sky splitting it in two. The storm, she reflected, was the elements urge to collide together just as her body and Draco's had urged to collide together.

A storm was nothing if not nature's oldest dance and perhaps, she mused, as she absently stroked the hair at Draco's nape, it was fitting she and Draco had participated in man's oldest dance at the same time.


	2. First Snow

 

 

 

It was quiet in the grounds of Hogwarts, so very quiet and still. Luna Lovegood’s shoes scrunched on the frost covered ground as she wandered down to the Black Lake.

 

Luna liked the Black Lake, looking at the water always calmed her, it always looked different during the day than the night, and different in the summer to the winter; and yet it was simply water, it should always be the same, but it wasn’t, and it was rather fascinating.

 

Entering the clearing by the lake Luna paused to survey her surroundings. Day was turning into night and the sky was darkening on the horizon into a steel blue. The trees had lost their leaves and the bare spindly branches looked dark, almost black against the sky like long crooked fingers reaching up to the heavens.

 

The lake was still today, without the wind there wasn’t a ripple to be seen; birds skimmed the air above the water but didn’t break the surface. She could hear the noise of scurrying animals in the undergrowth and a starling landed on a slender branch above her head letting out a thin warbling cry before taking flight again.

 

She smiled and continued on her way, pulling her purple bobble hat further down over her ears and slipping her hands into her coat pocket. Glancing up at the sky again Luna crossed her fingers for snow.

 

Presently, Luna came across another person sitting on a fallen log in the shelter of the bushes. He was so well concealed she almost missed him altogether. Sitting there, head to toe in black with his blonde hair standing out like a beacon was Draco Malfoy. He was hunched forward, elbows on his knees and his chin in his hands glaring sullenly across the water.

 

Luna debated whether to acknowledge his presence or not, and then decided he looked distinctly miserable and he might like someone to talk to, Luna quite frequently felt she would like someone to talk to.

 

Closing the distance between them, Luna spoke cheerfully, “Hello, Draco.”

 

Draco jumped at the voice intruding upon his thoughts. He looked up, the startled look on his face melting into a deep scowl. “What?” he demanded heatedly.

 

“Nothing,” Luna gave him a friendly smile. “I don’t want anything, I’m just walking. What are you doing?”

 

“Sitting on a log,” Draco snapped, silently wondering at his rotten luck that the school lunatic of all people was the one who had come across him.

 

“Yes, I can see that,” she agreed.

 

“Then why ask?” Draco turned his face away from her hoping she would just go away and go about her business leaving him to his.

 

“Well, you don’t look very happy, and I…”

 

“That’s because I’m trying to think and a stupid little girl is interrupting me.” Draco noticed his insult didn’t appear to have any affect on her at all, she didn’t even flinch, she simply continued to look at him curiously.

 

After a moments silence she spoke again. “I don’t mean to interrupt.”

 

“Then go away!”

 

It was just his luck Draco reflected, the annoying girl did not go away. Instead, she sat beside him, taking her hands out of her pockets and folding them neatly over her knee. When she didn’t speak immediately, Draco’s shoulders relaxed and finally slumped. If she was just going to sit there it wouldn’t be so bad, providing no-one came along and happened to see him sitting there with Loony Lovegood of course. He had enough going on in his life at the moment without having to deal with those kind of rumours.

 

“I’m sorry, Draco.”

 

Draco raised his head from his hands and stared stupidly at her. “What are you talking about?”

 

“Your father,” she replied quietly. “I was there you know.”

 

His memory stirred, yes, he remembered now, Loony Lovegood was at the Department of Mysteries. She had been with Potter when his father had been arrested and subsequently sent to Azkaban; which was the reason his life was falling apart at the seams. Draco had at first been so busy blaming Potter, cursing him to Hell and back he had temporarily forgotten there were other people to blame for his father being thrown into Azkaban, and this girl, this slip of a girl with dirty blonde hair, huge silvery eyes and radishes in her ears was one of the people to blame. _Radishes,_ his father had been taken away from him and his own life was in major peril because of someone who wore _radishes_ in their ears.

 

Draco was suddenly incensed. He had been given a mission by the Dark Lord himself, a mission so dark and terrible Draco shrank away from the very thought of it, never mind the actual actions of carrying it out; and Loony Lovegood had the nerve to sit next to him and intrude upon his thoughts and fears when it was partly her fault to begin with.

 

Draco’s pale face flushed angrily. “Save it Loony.”

 

“Well, I’m sorry anyway,” Luna said, catching her bottom lip between her teeth for a moment.

 

“Didn’t I tell you to go away?”

 

“Yes. But I don’t think you really want me to go.”

 

Draco stared incredulously at her. “Come again?”

 

“I don’t think you really want to be alone.”

 

“Oh really?” Draco glowered at her. “Then why would I be sitting here, away from the school on my own if I didn’t want to be alone?”

 

Her eyes locked with his own. Her eyes were on the large side, clear as crystal in that moment as they stared unflinchingly, unblinkingly deep into the heart of him.

 

“Because you’re afraid.”

 

Her response momentarily stunned Draco into complete silence. Surprise was quickly followed by fear that this loony knew what he had to do, fear she would tell Potter and Dumbledore what he was going to do.

 

“What?” Draco’s eyebrows shot so far up his forehead they almost disappeared into his hairline

 

“It’s natural to be afraid of change, Draco, but maybe you could look at this as a way to grow?”

 

“Grow?” he echoed, feeling like the worlds biggest oaf being capable only of echoing her like a minor bird.

 

“Personal growth. You know, having to deal with things on your own now your father is….” Luna paused delicately. “… temporarily indisposed.”

 

Draco’s eyes closed and he let out a breath he hadn’t been aware he had been holding as utter relief made his shoulders sag. The loony was just sounding off, trying to be helpful; she didn’t have a clue about his mission to kill the headmaster of Hogwarts. She hadn’t somehow found out about the sickening, chillingly cold fear weighing on his shoulders every second of the day, throwing his life into darkness.

 

“Oh shut up.” It was the best retort he could come out with at the moment, his mind was scrambled.

 

Luna simply smiled at him as though he had asked her on a date, Draco thought, rather than told her to shut up.

 

“Things have a way of working themselves out, Draco, even when we don’t think they will. You just have to have faith.”

 

“I’ll remember that,” Draco responded scathingly.

 

Luna took a moment to look at Draco, to really look at him. What she saw saddened her. He looked tired, dark circles ringed his eyes and his eyes themselves were dull, there wasn’t a spark of interest in them, no hint of the malicious amusement she had noticed in him before. They were just there. “Oh dear,” she pursed her lips and shook her head slightly. “You’ve lost it.”

 

“I’ve lost it?” Draco cried indignantly. “You of all people have the nerve to sit there and tell me that I’ve lost it, when you are as loony as they come!”

 

Luna rolled her eyes and Draco had the distinct feeling that rather than be upset by his retort she thought he was in fact being rather stupid. “I meant you’ve lost the spark.”

 

Draco ground his teeth together. Part of him wondered why he didn’t just get up and leave her to her own devices, but the other part of him knew why. She was right, he was frightened and he didn’t particularly want to be alone. Luna Lovegood was a good distraction for him, not being Pansy Parkinson or Blaise Zabini she wouldn’t pick at him trying to weasel information from him, she just tried to help in her own loony tunes way.

 

“The spark,” she continued, seemingly oblivious to her affect on him. “That little thing inside you where hope lives. You’ve lost your hope, Draco.”

 

She was right, Draco knew she was. That was exactly what was wrong with him. He had lost his hope. Everything he tried with that wretched vanishing cabinet backfired on him. He just couldn’t get the thing to work at all, he had began with high hopes, believing himself to be smart enough to pull it off, after all he was Draco Malfoy, his magical skills were pretty well honed and for once he wasn’t bragging. Things had not been progressing the way he hoped they would and he was left feeling useless and deflated.

 

“Yeah,” he heard himself saying. “Something isn’t turning out the way I expected it to.”

 

“Life has a habit of doing that,” she replied airily. “Do you think it will snow soon, Draco? I like the snow.”

 

Draco scowled. “Can we focus on my problem here, Lovegood?” Draco didn’t particularly wish to confide in her in any way, shape or form, but he also didn’t like how quickly she could dismiss his problems either. He had been counting on her having some sort of advice for him, he was after all running low on ideas; even a loony idea would do right now, Draco wasn’t fussy.

 

Luna sighed softly, “You can't just plan a moment when things get back on track, Draco, just as you can't plan the moment you lose your way in the first place. You just have to believe you will find a way back. You have to believe in yourself, Draco, if you don’t how do you expect other’s to?”

 

Draco was silent as he contemplated her words, part of him was annoyed she hadn’t come out with a straight forward answer for him. Now that he thought about it, if he just twisted her words around a little bit, he could see that the Dark Lord had faith in _him_. The Dark Lord had given him, Draco Malfoy a mission to complete because the Dark Lord believed he could do it.

 

Draco smiled suddenly, he was starting to feel better, he hadn’t thought about it that way. If the Dark Lord believed in him then he could certainly do it, he would find a way.

 

He resolutely squashed the little voice telling him the Dark Lord had in actual fact placed a huge burden on his shoulders and asked him to get the Death Eaters into the school, something which had previously never been done just to teach his father a lesson for failing at the Department of Mysteries. Draco chose to ignore the glaringly obvious fact that the Dark Lord himself had not been able to defeat Dumbledore at the Department of Mysteries and he was now expecting Draco to perform such a task.

 

Draco had a knack for re-writing history and reality to suit his own purposes.

 

“No matter how dark the moment is, Draco, hope is always possible.” Tilting her head back, Luna studied the sky, “I hope for snow. There’s nothing quite like freshly fallen snow.”

 

Draco sighed heavily. “Whatever.”

 

“It’s getting cold,” Luna said, rubbing her hands together briskly. “I think I’ll head back to school. Are you coming? I think you probably should, it’ll be getting too dark for you to sit out here much longer, and your behind will get numb,” she added as an after thought.

 

Draco couldn’t help a smirking and snorting in amusement. “Worried about my ass are you, Lovegood?”

 

“Well,” Luna said thoughtfully, “It won’t be very pleasant for you.”

 

“It probably won’t.” Draco felt a little better about his situation now, Lovegood had given him enough of a boost to be getting along with, and as he fell into step beside her on the way back to school Draco’s mind was already considering and rejecting new ideas.

 

Luna was silent as she accompanied Draco along the path beside the Black Lake, she didn’t wish to intrude upon his thoughts, he was wearing his serious face. She was glad she had been able to help him, if only a little bit, it was nice to help people. Luna sighed inwardly, it was unfortunate other people didn’t feel the same way. Luna felt the world would be a much nicer place if everyone could just get along; although she was realistic enough to know that was not a very likely scenario.

 

Suddenly, Luna felt something cold touching her nose. She blinked in surprise and wiped at the tip of her nose, a delighted smile on her face as she looked up at the sky which was now heavy with snow. “Oh look, I told you to have hope, Draco, it’s snowing, it’s the first snow of the year.”

 

Draco looked up, squinting against the fat snowflakes which were falling thick and fast from the sky, landing quietly at his feet, on the trees around him, and in his hair. The lake suddenly felt very quiet to Draco, as though the snow had muffled all noise and it was just him and Luna, the only two people on the face of the earth.

 

Pulling her bobble hat from her head and stuffing it into her pocket, Luna tipped her head back to face the sky, her hair tumbling around her shoulders and spilling down her back in a knotted mess. Draco noticed she had a blue feather sticking out of the tangles of curls, and on closer inspection he realised the feather was attached to a quill. He wondered absently how long the quill had been nestled there.

 

The flakes of snow landed gently on Luna’s upturned face, little cold spots that sent a chill to the nerve endings just beneath the skin. Luna could feel them sitting on her face and she smiled; she was cold enough to stop the snowflakes from melting.

 

As the snow began to fall thicker and faster, the flakes fatter and so white against the back drop of the sky, Draco shook his head slightly, they were catching in his hair and tickling the bare skin at the nape of his neck, melting quickly into little rivulets of water that ran down into the collar of his coat.

 

Scowling, Draco drew the neck of his coat up and closer around his throat and ears. He flexed his reddened fingers and almost glared at Luna, this creature who appeared to adore the snow while he was freezing his toes off.

 

The snow had also started to cling to her, Draco noted. They almost seemed to be sparkling like diamonds in the rats nest she called hair and the flakes on her cheeks looked like tiny crystal droplets against the pale pink of her cheeks.

 

Parting her lips as an icy flake settled against her mouth, Luna darted her tongue out to taste the snow. Cold, icy and fresh, she decided when the snowflake dissolved on her tongue.

 

Luna blinked rapidly in surprise, a shiver running down her spine that had nothing to do with the cold weather and everything to do with the warmth of Draco’s mouth over hers. He was kissing her! For a moment her mind went totally blank, too shocked to register anything other than the searing warmth of his body even through the thickness of their coats.

 

Draco wasn’t exactly sure what had come over him, or why he was actually doing this. All he knew was the sight of her in the freshly falling snow, her lips parted and that little pink tongue swiping along her lower lip had done something to him; sent a bolt of lightening straight to his groin overruling his common sense.

 

Perhaps it was because she was a bright spot in an otherwise exceedingly dismal past few weeks. Perhaps it was because she was extremely sensual without meaning to be. Or perhaps it was simply because she had been kind to him without demanding anything back that he wanted to lose himself in that sweetness for just a few minutes and pretend there was nothing else in the world apart from the snow and them.

 

She was soft and warm, her kisses eager and willing; gentle and deep, touching something inside him which had never even stirred before. His hands held her face, cradling her gently as his thumb stroked over her cheek bone.

 

His tongue flickered over hers, stroking leisurely, exploring slowly and Luna shivered, her body tightening in response to the low moan she felt, rather than heard, in the back of his throat.

 

His mouth lifted from hers fractionally when breathing became paramount, but it was merely a pause for Draco was kissing her again before she quite knew what was happening. She daren’t touch Draco, afraid of what her hands would do should they come into contact with him, but she swayed towards him, allowing her body to lean into his, just to let him know she was happy with him kissing her.

 

This time Luna could taste the cold of his kiss and she knew somehow a snowflake had become trapped between them and had melted into the kiss. It made Draco taste like winter.

 

When the kiss broke for a second time, Luna felt Draco’s hands slide from her face. His fingers fanned out against her neck for a moment, the pad of his thumb touching to her pulse point.

 

Luna took a deep steadying breath. Her eyes still closed, she could feel the snowflakes gathered in her lashes and her mouth felt astonishingly warm compared to the rest of her.

 

“Did you know that no two snowflakes are the same?”

 

When she received no response Luna’s eyes fluttered open, her lashes feeling rather heavier than usual coated with snow. “Oh.” She was surprised to find she was alone, Draco was no longer standing in front of her.

 

Squinting through the snow, Luna could just about make out the dark figure of Draco a little way ahead of her walking back up to the castle. Her mouth curled into a smile and the cold tips of her fingers touched to the tingling warmth of her lips. She sighed contentedly, pushing her hands into her pockets Luna started walking to the castle herself, it was getting too dark and too cold to stay outdoors any longer.

 

Luna kept her eyes on Draco’s back as she followed him back across the grounds of the school. She couldn’t see him all that well as he was quite a way in front of her, but just as he reached the castle doors he turned back and stared at her for a long moment before ducking into the foyer. Wrapping her arms around herself, Luna hoped she had been at least a little helpful to Draco, and now she had even more reason to love the snow; she’d had her first kiss in the first snow of the year.


	3. Summer Rain (E)

 

The sun was strong, filtering through the canopy of leaves to touch pin pricks of warmth against his bare skin. The birds were singing merrily, flittering from branch to branch above his head and somewhere over his shoulder where the babbling of the brook was gurgling on its way through the wood, Draco heard the deep resonating croak of a frog.

 

The blanket was soft beneath him, cushioning him, protecting him from the grass and twigs which would undoubtedly scratch him and leave little red welts on his exposed skin.

 

It was a peaceful day, and Draco, full from his picnic lunch and as relaxed as he possibly could be while stretched out naked in the woods, was content. His smoky grey eyes watched the girl sitting opposite him, her naked body partially shielded from his vision by the easel she had set up and the long, dirty blonde hair falling over her shoulders and covering her breasts.

 

He listened to the slight swishing of the water against the sides of the glass jar as Luna dipped her paint brush into the water to clean it, tapping the wooden handle lightly against the rim to shake off any excess water. He watched her dip her brush into a pot of blue paint and knew she was now preparing to paint the sky or the brook behind him. She hummed quietly while she painted and the pleasant, familiar sound lulled him further into his near sleepy state.

 

“Draco, you’re twitching,” Luna chided gently.

 

“Don’t mean to, I’m falling asleep over here,” Draco replied, trying his best not to move more than was necessary. He disliked sitting still for prolonged periods of time, especially when Luna was within arms reach and completely naked; but he had promised he would pose for her. Draco hadn’t quite realised what he had let himself in for with that hastily given promise.

 

Luna enjoyed drawing and painting, and she enjoyed looking at Draco, therefore she had combined the two to make one thoroughly enjoyable hobby. It was too bad Draco was getting achy, Luna mused, but he had promised to sit for her and as she kept reminding him, a promise was a promise and shouldn’t be broken.

 

“It’s nice here, isn’t it?” Luna had brought Draco to a little thicket of wood near her house. It was far enough away so her father wouldn’t accidentally stumble upon them, but near enough so he wouldn’t worry about her being with Draco. Luna understood her father’s worry, after all, Draco’s family had held her captive during the war; but as she constantly reminded her father, the war was over and everyone deserved a second chance. Especially, she thought with a coy smile, people with a body like Draco’s.

 

“Hum.”

 

She smiled brightly. “I knew you’d like it. Draco, don’t move, I’m not finished with you yet, I’m going back to you in a minute.”

 

Draco sighed softly. Posing was a pain in the ass, but he was bound to be rewarded for good behaviour when the painting was done, and with hormones raging like a forest fire Draco was willing to wait it out.

He watched as Luna changed her brush, wiping the end with a damp cloth before selecting a pot he couldn’t see from his position. She looked up, her large silvery blue eyes looking directly at him from behind the curtain of hair which had fallen over one eye. Those eyes held his, keeping him captive in a timeless moment before flickering away and travelling down the length of his body, assessing him carefully with open admiration.

 

Draco couldn’t help it; he blushed.

 

If she saw the change in his countenance, which Draco was sure she had because Luna missed nothing; she gave no sign of it. It was one of the things Draco liked about Luna, she understood him. Luna knew how difficult it was for him to be open with someone, she accepted his awkwardness in expressing his feelings and didn’t push him, she simply took what he was able to give; grateful it was her he was offering those feelings to.

 

Draco watched Luna carefully, sitting in the grass amongst the flowers and trees with her hair spilling around her shoulders she brought to mind the image of a beautiful and mystical forest nymph. Luna was at home surrounded by nature, it suited her personality; he preferred the luxury and splendour of his family home, Malfoy Manor. Draco didn’t mind spending time outdoors with Luna, she was like an exotic bird which should never be caged, and keeping her indoors, as grand as his home was, rather felt like he was caging her up.

 

At first, when they had began their tentative relationship Draco had wanted to lock her away, keep her from anyone who might say or do something to take her away from him. It had taken him a long time to realise Luna was stronger than he thought, much stronger that he was, and she did what she wanted to do and never let anyone else’s opinion affect her own judgement.

 

Draco recalled sitting on his private veranda with Luna one evening his face twisted into a pout as she told him she wouldn’t be able to see him the following evening because she was going out with Ginny Weasley. He hadn’t been able to cope with it, suddenly terrified Weasley would convince Luna never to see him again and he had of course, rather than trying to explain to Luna how he felt, just shouted at her and caused an argument.

 

Luna however, never argued. It was one of the infuriating things about her. Draco could never get her to fight with him. It had taken Draco a while to discover that when he and Luna fought, he was in fact just fighting with himself because she just sat back and let him rant and rave before putting him neatly in his place with a few softly spoken words of common sense. As maddening as that could be, it was one of the many things Draco had come to adore about her.

 

Feeling her eyes on him again, Draco pulled himself out of his thoughts to see what she was doing. Luna, paint brush poised in mid air, was almost devouring him with her eyes. It was a different look to the one she had given him only minutes before, these were not the eyes of the artist but the eyes of his lover; and Draco’s body responded immediately.

 

It was Luna’s turn to blush, and her eyes swept back to her painting as she sucked in a sharp breath. The movement caused her chest to rise and a pink nipple peeked at Draco through the curtain of her hair. His lips curled into a smirk; his reward was within his reach.

 

“See something you like, Luna?” He was teasing, but his voice was low, almost a seductive purr which affected Luna much more than she felt it should, but she wasn’t one to question her feelings. If Luna felt something then she trusted it to be right, and she trusted every feeling and instinct she had about Draco in spite of his past and what her own family and friends said about him.

 

They didn’t know this Draco. They didn’t know _her_ Draco.

 

Luna lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “If you’ve seen one blonde God you’ve seen them all,” she replied with an impish smile.

 

Draco grinned, he had always hated being made fun of, he never could take a friendly joke; but he didn’t mind in the slightest when Luna teased him. It was strange, but it made him feel closer to her, it gave their relationship a special intimacy he had never experienced with anyone else before.

 

“You’re supposed to worship God’s you know,” he said, giving her a sly smile.

 

“Yes,” she agreed, her voice a breathy whisper as she thought of all the ways she could worship Draco. It only took a brief meeting of eyes for Luna to know Draco had been thinking the same thing. “Would…. Would you like to be worshipped, Draco?”

 

The fact that Luna could stammer and look at him so shyly from beneath her lashes after all this time, when he touched her so often, when he had; Draco swallowed reflexively, been inside her so many times, genuinely touched something at the core of him.

 

“Yes,” Draco said softly. “I would.”

 

Luna said nothing in response, but she didn't need to, her eyes did the talking for her, so deep and intense was the look she gave him.

The little clearing was muggy due to the warmth of the day and the humidity from the stuffy shade of the trees over head; but suddenly it became hot and sultry as Luna left her painting behind and crawled to Draco's feet. She knelt there for a moment gorging on him, taking him all in, and the sweetest contented smile graced her delicate features.

Draco remembered those lips against his ear whispering softly "I love you" as she cradled him close to her, fingers running through his hair, slender arms surrounding him, keeping him safe from everything, including himself.

As her hands reach out to brush over his toes, Draco managed to speak, not the words lying heavily on his tongue, but close enough. "I do, you know."

"I know." Her response was simple, but like all things simple, it was the truth and so completely Luna. It didn't upset her that Draco hadn't said the words, when it was right for him Draco would speak them without any hesitation at all, Luna knew that as well as she knew her own name. There was no rushing these things after all.

Luna turned back to the task at hand. She brushed her lips over his toes, placing a soft kiss to the arch of each foot, her teeth nipping at his heels and her tongue tracing the curve of each ankle. Hot open mouthed kisses touched the back of his knees, his inner thighs, the flat of his stomach and her teeth bit lightly into his jutting hip, his shoulder and collar bone.

Draco's eyes closed and he groaned quietly as she kissed the base of his throat, her tongue flickering over his straining Adam's apple and moving along to trace his jaw and press a kiss just beneath his ear. Light kisses, as swift as butterfly wings passed over his face, along his cheek bones, over his eyebrows, against his eye lids and lastly to the tip of his nose.

His lips parted eagerly, waiting for that kiss to his mouth; Luna's kisses were always deep, full of feeling and meaning. Draco liked that about her.

Luna knew what he wanted, but she bypassed his mouth entirely. An annoyed noise came from the back of his throat and Luna laughed lightly. "You said you wanted to be worshipped." She leant in until her hair tickled his chest and her mouth was against his ear. "Worship isn't something to rush, Draco."

Excitement speared through every nerve ending in his body; Draco's fingers fisted into the blanket beneath him, his body unconsciously straining towards her, eager and desperate for more.

She allowed her thumb to trace his bottom lip, stroking down his throat until her hands danced across his chest reveling in the warmth of his skin and the familiar contours of his body as she caressed his arms stroking against the crease by his elbow and lifting his hand to press a sweet kiss against his wrist. Draco shifted, a soft gasp floating past his lips.

Her fingers explored the smooth alabaster skin of his chest, nails raking lightly over his nipples eliciting a groan. Her touch ghosted over his ribs to pause on his hips to steady herself as her mouth pressed to one nipple in a hot, wet kiss. Luna traced teasing, gentle circles with her tongue around first one nipple and then the other, the skin tightening into a hard bud against her mouth.

Her hand swept down the length of his body and with the faintest of touches she caressed his inner thighs, a small smile twitching at the corners of her lips when Draco moaned and parted his legs invitingly. His stomach muscles tightened and twitched in anticipation when she pressed a kiss just below his belly button and his hand flexed against the small of her back. Everything she did burnt a white hot trail of desire throughout his body and Draco was helpless to do anything other than squirm and pant beneath her assault.

Blindly, Draco reached out for her, wanting to touch her, to bring her the same unbelievable pleasure she was giving him; but Luna batted his hands away. "No," she murmured, her mouth now against his hip. "I'm worshiping you, Draco."

Just the way she spoke his name was enough to drive Draco mad with longing, and now she was teasing him as well.

Draco felt her shift beside him and he forced open his heavy eyelids in time to see her settle herself on her knees between his thighs and it was only then that Draco realized how his body had, of its own accord, spread open for her, silently begging for her touch. Draco knew he wouldn't find himself naked, legs splayed, in the wood with anyone else; he had let his guard down with Luna, not only did he want her so much it seemed to defy all rational thought and reasoning, but he trusted her, he knew her and she knew him. Without a doubt Draco knew he loved her.

He opened his mouth to tell her so, but all that came out was a sharp cry of pleasure as she finally took his hardened, aching flesh into her mouth. His hips jerked upwards and Luna smoothly moved with him to avoid having him hit her gag reflex. Her mouth was slow and sweet and sensual and Draco's eyes rolled back in his head. He reached for her again, tangling his fingers in her hair, gripping tightly to her, his hips rocking forward, her mouth finding his rhythm and moving with him as pure bliss rippled under his skin and he was panting, fighting for breath.

With one last upward stroke Luna released him, and finally, finally, her mouth slanted over his in a kiss. Draco's fingers tightened in her hair, holding to the back of her head to keep her there as he kissed her deeply, his tongue sweeping into her mouth, stroking, caressing dominating her even as he lay beneath her. Luna moaned in response, pressing herself against him, needing something to help with the frenzied hunger eating away at the pit of her stomach.

When he released her to allow her to breathe, Luna gasped, drawing in a deep lung-full of air. "Please..... please let me go, Draco." The undisguised need in her voice matched the pent up need in him and Draco willingly relinquished his hold on her, carefully untangling her hair from his fingers.

Using his shoulders to steady herself, Luna settled herself comfortably over him, her legs trembling when his hands ran up her inner thigh. Draco's eyes met Luna's as he parted her gently, holding her gaze as she lowered her body and suddenly Draco was inside her; Luna was around him, above him, surrounding him completely and the breath left Draco's body in one fell whoosh; she felt so good.

Luna's hips shifted, moving a little awkwardly at first until she found her rhythm and then she let out a low moan as it was Draco's turn to touch her. His hands curled around her hips, guiding her, kneading her bare flesh, travelling up her ribs, her body arching into him. He cupped her breasts, stroked the sensitive flesh, moved over her shoulders, down her arms to her wrists, dropping to caress her legs and knees and grasp her fingers in his own. He just couldn't stop touching her, especially when she was panting his name like a prayer.

Draco's fingers danced over her skin again, seeking out the sweet spots that made her cry out until she thought she might die from the sheer pleasure of it. She moaned his name, little crescent moons appearing at his shoulders where she held on tightly as a tidal wave of exquisite sensations coursed through her.

Feeling something wet on her skin, Luna opened her eyes, blinking in surprise as something dropped into her eye. Hearing the steady _plop_ of falling water she realised it was raining. The sound of water hitting water came to her as the rain fell into the brook and the water on her body cooled her flushed skin.

She never broke her stride, her body moving of its own accord now and her arms coming behind her to use Draco's legs for leverage as she quickened her pace, Draco's hands on her hips urging her on.

Draco blinked the water out of his eyes, it wasn't raining heavily, simply a summer rain, the water warm and mild and not enough to distract him from Luna. Nothing could distract him from her when she looked this good; her hair a wild tangle about her shoulders, her body arched back with her breasts jutting enticingly forward and her lips red and swollen from his kisses. The rain splattered her body, clear droplets of water made little tracks down her exposed throat and ran along the swelling of her breast, catching and glistening on the tip of her nipple like fresh morning dew.

She had never looked more enchanting to Draco than she did right then in all her wondrous natural glory, her skin flushed her head flung back as she cried out when her body shook with release.

"Bloody hell, I love you." His voice was hoarse with emotion and Draco roared as his hips bucked upwards following her over the edge.

Luna sank in a boneless heap against Draco, her lungs aching for much needed air. She could feel his heart hammering in time with her own and her eyes closed contentedly, the rain rather soothing on her bare back.

One hand at the small of her back, the other at the back of her neck, Draco held Luna lightly, he had no strength left in his body. The scent of her filled his nostrils; paint, coconuts and rain. He would always remember how Luna had looked this afternoon as she rose above him like some sort of earth Goddess and Draco knew he would always think of that image whenever he was caught again in a summer rain.

 

 

 

 

 

 


	4. A Really Hot Day

The bright glare of the morning sunlight streaming through the trees almost blinded Draco. The world around him was still and serene as he made his silent way into Hogsmead, the castle of Hogwarts looming dark against the sky behind him, the large turrets like posted sentry's watching the going's on of the clumps of students littering the court yard and the grassy banks. 

There was no-one in sight and as he trod the well known path towards the little village. He was filled with wonder that he, Draco Malfoy, who always had someone to order around, to laugh at his jokes and hope to ride his coat tails to the top, found himself completely alone. 

He was alone a lot since the war ended and he, along with countless other students, had returned to Hogwarts to finish their education. Vincent Crabbe who had been one of his friends was dead, Gregory Goyle his other friend avoided him as much as possible these day and seemed to prefer to hang around with Blaise Zabini instead. It stuck in Draco's craw to see Goyle with Zabini, the two of them laughing together, eating in the Great Hall together and sitting together in class when it used to be him giving orders to Goyle and Goyle scrambling to obey. Draco remembered the days of lording it over Zabini in the Slytherin common room, now he was lucky if anyone said hello to him. 

He was practically ostracized these days; he and Theodore Nott, two of the pure blood's whose families had been openly involved with the Dark Lord and the Death Eaters. Draco of course, was viewed with much more suspicion than Theodore due to the fact he wore the Dark Mark and had housed the Dark Lord and the Death Eaters and helped the Death Eaters get into Hogwarts to murder Dumbledore. 

Memories were long, and no-one was willing to forget he was the first to step over to the Dark Lord and join the ranks of Death Eaters when it was thought Harry Potter was dead and the Dark Lord had triumphed. People also remembered how they had believe Lucius Malfoy was a changed man, and yet he had so swiftly returned to his Master's side and joined the Death Eaters at the Department of Mysteries. 

His father was currently serving the rest of his sentence in Azkaban, he only had a year left to go before he came home and Draco was looking forward to that day. His life at Hogwarts was bound to be infinitely better than what his father had to deal with, although it ate at Draco like a toxic waste that he had Harry Potter to thank for it. Potter had stood up for him, told the entire Wizengamot how he had lied for Harry to help him escape and how he had been forced into using unforgivable curses. Draco had been surprised to discover Potter had experienced a connection with the Dark Lord's mind and had seen some of the things he had been forced to partake in. 

Potter's testimony made Draco's life easier, but Draco burned with humiliation at having Potter take up for him. 

Shading his eyes with his hand Draco looked about him at the route which was as familiar to him as his own mind. The sand and gravel path stretched out before him, winding away under the avenue of oak's and cedars. With the heat of the sun high above him, Hogsmead suddenly felt like a million miles away. The dust of the path floated upward on the dry air, sifting into his nostrils and sticking in his nose and throat.

A stillness hung over the countryside, all the shrubs and flowers which should have been in full bloom hung drooping and sad in churned up soil where the fighting had taken place. Draco drew in a deep breath, everywhere he went he found some sort of reminder of the hideous days of the war when everything was a dark quagmire he couldn't get out of. 

Draco smoothed back his hair, face damp and body already beginning to sweat. He felt messy and sticky, something Draco was unused to. He was a Malfoy, he had always had the Malfoy fortune behind him and he had always dressed in the very best clothes, had always had his every little whim catered to and now Draco felt lost. The good old lazy days before the war where gone, and Draco wasn't sure where he fit in this new world of Potter's making. 

He could hear the rippling of the river off to his right and Draco abandoned his plan to go to Hogsmead and instead cut through the tall grass with the scorching sun beating down on his head, burning the back of his neck and causing little rivulets of perspiration to run from behind his ears down his neck. He blew a puff of hot air up into his face, unbuttoning the cuffs of his shirt Draco pushed the sleeves up to his elbows, avoiding looking at the Dark Mark burnt on his arm. 

The water looked cool and still, like a silver ribbon and Draco was just contemplating taking off his shoes and socks and soaking his feet in the inviting water when he spotted her, calf deep in the water, her white dressed hiked up around her knees, long dirty blonde hair tumbling down her back held off her face with wild flowers. 

Draco faltered, unsure what to do. He was just preparing to sneak away hoping she hadn't seen him when Luna Lovegood lifted her head and her large, silvery blue eyes landed on his face, pinning him in place. 

Draco froze like a statue. At the sight of her standing in the water, the sun reflecting off the surface of the water on to her face which had now lost its haunted, hungry look and was plump and full of health and vitality, Draco thought she looked like some mythical water goddess. 

Draco's heart went out in a surge of love and fury at fate. He could hardly bear to look at her, knowing how she had suffered being taken from her father and locked away from the sunlight and the fresh air; constantly living with the fear she might be tortured and killed, or worse for her, that her father may suffer that very fate. 

Luna's heart leaped at the very sight of Draco. It had been too long since she'd had a quiet moment alone with him. She hadn't managed it since Harry had taken her away from Malfoy Manor and she had longed for him since that day, but never once, not with a word or a look had Draco betrayed any of his feelings towards her. 

"Hello, Draco." He didn't look as though he were going to speak, but rather turn on his heel and run away and Luna refused to allow that to happen. He had spent too long avoiding her. 

"Luna," he greeted quietly. 

She smiled at the sound of her name; a smile that lit up her face and caused her eyes to sparkle like jewels. "How are you?" 

"Fine." It was a lie and Draco knew Luna was aware of it, she always seemed to just know things without being told and convey that with one look. 

"You don't have to lie to me, Draco. I can imagine things have been difficult for you. You used to talk to me," she added when Draco remained maddeningly silent. 

"I didn't have much choice then," Draco said, his attempt at a snarky tone falling flat. 

"There's always a choice," Luna said quietly. "You proved that when you lied for Harry." 

Draco's cheeks coloured, he hated being reminded of that even if it did end up being his saving grace. The war had taught him many things, especially that the harsh realities of life didn't wait for him to get used to them but thrust themselves into his life whether he wanted to face them or not; and one of the harsh realities he had to face was his feelings for the girl standing in the water, gazing at him, waiting for him to speak. 

"I did what I had to do to help myself and my family," Draco responded with a square of his shoulders. 

"You didn't know lying was going to help you at the time." 

"I don't know that it's helped me at all," Draco complained bitterly. 

Luna kicked her foot, sending crystal clear droplets of water sprinkling through the air sparkling like rainbows when the sun caught them. She splashed her way to the bank and stepped onto the springy grass. "You did what was right, Draco and your good deed has been rewarded. Harry spoke up for you, didn't he. He told everyone what you and your mother did for him and he kept you out of Azkaban." 

"Yeah, and he also told everyone about my father's fall from grace too," Draco scowled. "I bet he really enjoyed telling everyone about that," he added sourly. 

"I doubt that. Harry doesn't take pleasure in other people's misery and embarrassment." 

"Like I do you mean?" Draco snapped, his mind going back to the way he had behaved before the war towards those he believed were beneath him.

"I didn't say that and I didn't mean that," Luna assured him. "You were nice to me." A pink blush crept into her cheeks and Draco's eyes lowered to the ground, his own face heating up slightly. 

He remained silent, Draco had nothing to say to that. The truth always startled him and forced him to accept the facts whether he wanted to or not, and Luna always spoke the truth. 

And the truth was, he hard hardly been able to keep her out of his mind. Luna filled his every dream, his every waking thought and he burned for her the way the sun was burning his face at that very moment. 

"You've been avoiding me, Draco. Why have you been avoiding me?" 

She was so close to him now Draco felt as though he were suffocating. Not a breath of air stirred the lush greenness around him, or rustled the leaves of the trees; the bank of the river felt heavy and oppressive and Draco jerked roughly at the collar of his shirt, the silk sticking to his back and his arms. 

Swallowing against his dry throat, Draco took a wobbly step back from those lustrous eyes which seemed to pierce the very core of him and force him to acknowledge truths it would do no good to speak of. 

"Because...." he finally spoke. "Because I didn't want you to get the wrong idea about things." 

Her brow furrowed. "How do you mean?" 

"About us," he forced the words past his tight throat. "I didn't want you thinking there was more to .... us, than there is." 

Her eyes, which were slightly on the large side but suited her face anyway, and always had a look of surprise about them, widened in genuine shock, her lips parting in a soundless gasp. She stared up at him disbelievingly. "I'm afraid," she began, her voice carefully measured, "I'm following you only too well. Why don't you want to admit to feelings for me, Draco?" 

"I don't have any feelings to admit to," Draco said defiantly.

"Oh yes you do." Luna's chin tilted slightly and he eyes met his, bright with challenge. "What exactly are you afraid of? Not of what people think, surely. Not after we just won a war to prove everyone is equal. Besides, if it does bother you that much, my blood is as pure as yours." 

"We were on different sides in that war," Draco reminded her, doing his level best to bypass her question. A question he knew she had every right to ask of him. 

"Not really," Luna said dismissively. "You may believe the same things as the Death Eaters to a certain extent, but you do not believe people should be killed or stripped of their magic merely because their blood isn't pure. If you did, you would have willingly fought alongside the Death Eaters, but you didn't. You got yourself into a difficult and dangerous situation you could find no way out of without bloodshed so you allowed yourself to be swept along by it, always looking for a way out, a way to save yourself and your family. If the war hadn't have come it would have made no real difference to you, Draco, you would have spent your life living happily at Malfoy Manor with your wealth at your disposal and doing just as you pleased, in much the same way you always have done." 

But the war had come, Draco shivered in spite of the relentless heat of the day. The war had come to blow his life to smithereens and change life as he knew it. Gone now was the laziness of the old days where he ruled supreme in the Slytherin common room and there was an undeniable glamour about being a Malfoy. The family name stood for something, meant something, Lucius had worked hard to ensure it did, and that in turn gave his son an easy life. The Malfoy name protected him and kept him from being like everyone else. 

There was a beauty to his life before the Dark Lord returned, where he only had to ask for something and it immediately became his, when he had people falling over themselves to suck up to him in the hopes of becoming a member of his own little trusted circle of friends; not that he had ever had any real friends, Draco would admit that if only to himself. But that was through his own choice, he hadn't really believed anyone he knew was worthy of being a true friend to him. Now he hadn't a friend because of his own doing, people were still a little afraid of him, didn't know what to make of him; all except Luna. She knew him better than he knew himself and she wanted to be more than his friend, but it wasn't possible, now more than ever it wasn't possible. 

"Everything has changed." 

She smiled sweetly, a look of understanding on her face. "I know, Draco. You'll adapt. You’re strong." 

"I don't know where I belong anymore, Luna. I don't have a place in this life." 

He looked so despairingly at her and his low voice was so devoid of feeling Luna knew in that instant why she adored him so. He was just like a lost little boy, a lost soul and she wanted to help him, to guide him back from the darkness into the light. 

"Everything will be all right, Draco. You just have to take life by the horns and make what you want out of it. We've come through the worst life can throw at us, Draco and we're still standing. You have the strength in you to stand tall against adversity, you've already proven that, and people will forget and forgive in time. Wounds are still raw right now, grief is still fresh, but you will be all right. You've already faced the stone walls of disapproval and you haven't fallen, but if you do, you'll just get right back up again; because that's what a man does, that's what a Malfoy does." Luna played her ace card with the mention of his family name, that above anything was sacred to Draco. 

Her hand was suddenly on his arm, hot and feverish as she gazed longingly up at him. "And you don't have to do it on your own, Draco. You've struggled along so far and you've proven you can do it alone, but you don't have to. I'll be here from now on to help you." 

Draco hardly noticed her palm was clammy from heat, he only registered that her hand was on his arm, her skin touching his and it conjured up memories he buried away during the day and only brought out at night to bring him some small measure of comfort and be admired like a fine work of art; memories of her hands in his hair and his lips on hers in the sweetest of kisses, made even sweeter by the fact that they were stolen kisses while she was held captive at his home. 

They were kisses which had sustained him, led to the kind of intense physical pleasure Draco had never realised could exist. But the past was the past, he had to leave it there. He had to look forward and be the man, the Malfoy, he was meant to be. 

"No," he said, his voice a whisper. "It's not possible, what happened..." 

Luna stopped his faltering words with her own, her hands moving to grip his shoulders, to physically hold him in place in case he tried to run off. "Don't, Draco! Don't say things you don't mean. Don't push me away again. I love you and I know you love me, you told me so remember, that night in your bedroom when we...." 

"Oh," Draco exclaimed, exasperated she was bringing up memories which did nothing but weaken his resolve when it came to her. "Can't we just forget all about it?" 

"Don't be silly," Luna chided gently. "Why should we? How can we?" She looked at him imploringly. "Are you honestly going to stand there and say you didn't mean it? That your feelings have changed?" 

The sunlight streaked through her hair, turning the dirty blonde waves to molten gold before his very eyes and making the petals of the wild white roses she had used to pin back her hair almost translucent. 

The light could play tricks on the eyes, her hair was not golden and she was not perfect. Draco's heart contracted at this disloyal thought but he chose to ignore it. He took a quick, sharp breath before he spoke. "I don't care about you at all. Now will you leave me alone?" 

"You're lying, Draco." 

"So what?" Draco demanded with a heat to match that of the fireball in the sky. "What difference does it make? We can't do anything about it. We're different kinds of people, we come from different worlds." 

"That doesn't matter, not if..." 

"It matters." Draco interrupted quietly; so quietly that he stilled Luna to silence. "We are different, Luna and you know it. I have responsibilities and a duty to the Malfoy's who have come before me. "

Blinking uncertainly, Luna looked at Draco with wide eyes and naked longing. She saw, as if for the first time, the good breeding in his face, it showed in his hard eyes grey like granite, in the high prominent cheek bones and the proud tilt of his head. Luna saw in Draco Malfoy's face the collapse of her dreams; saw them fluttering away like petals on the wind. He loved her, but he would not sacrifice his pride or the honor of the Malfoy name to be with her, not even if he burned for her for the rest of his life. Her heart broken, Luna let the tears fall. 

Draco was astounded, he had never seen Luna cry; not when she had been teased mercilessly at school, not when she had first been taken captive and not in all the long months of her captivity. He genuinely hadn't realized someone as strong as Luna was capable of tears. 

His arms went around her, his natural instinct to comfort her coming to the fore and he patted her awkwardly. "Don't cry." It came out more as a harsh command than a soothing plea, but it was the best he could do in the circumstances, especially now that he could feel the change in her body at his very touch. 

An electric heat swept through her, transferred itself to him and consumed him; heart, body and mind. Turning her face up to his, Draco kissed her. 

Luna's heart pumped madly in her ears and she clung to Draco, her body seeming to stick to his the day was so hot. They stood fused together for a timeless time, and Draco's mouth took hers hungrily, as though he would never in this life time or the next get enough of her. 

The aroma of wild roses filling his nostrils and the familiarity of holding Luna in his arms again was a heady mixture and Draco deepened his kiss. She tasted like honeysuckle and wild flowers, like hot summer days and warm sultry summer darkness, even though she didn't, she still signified all those things to him and Draco lost himself in the delicious ambrosia that was Luna. 

He broke the kiss for a moment for some much needed air, but the heat of the day made the air thick and stale and cloying and breathing wasn't nearly as good as he remembered it being only minutes before. 

"Draco...." she murmured, her fingers tangling in his hair, dragging his mouth back to hers.

Draco went willingly. He would worry and fight with the chaos of his thoughts later when he could get some order into his addled mind, when Luna wasn't pressed to tightly to him she was practically plastered to his body. Even the sun, which seemed to be sending down to earth heat from the fires of hell did not compare to the wildfire Draco could feel coursing through his own veins as he kissed her harder, deeper, giving himself over to her completely. 

Luna was like chocolate and honey and syrupy goodness, she was soft and smooth and sweet smelling and all those things that weren't good for you because they gave you toothache; but he was having his taste of her anyway; he was having his taste of lilies on the breeze and buttercups dancing and dissolving sunshine; because all too soon Draco knew he would have to give her up for good.


	5. The Sun Comes Through After a Rainy Day

It was Granger's fault, ultimately it was all Granger's fault; she would insist on being a do-gooder, a busy body. If she had just kept her mouth shut and her opinion's to herself he wouldn't be in this humiliating situation.

McGonagall was just as bad as Granger, she had been all for it, giving the annoying mud-blood free rein; putting her in charge. And didn't Granger just love queening it about in the Great Hall, hugging a clip board and pointing a quill at everyone as she dished out orders and directions.

Draco groaned, leaning his arms on the cold stone of the balcony he stared out across the grounds of Hogwarts. The sky was grey and overcast, thick clouds hovered above the castle and a cold drizzle fell relentlessly, spotting the balcony and blowing lightly onto his face. He shivered slightly, glad to be undercover.

He understood the concept behind Granger's idea, could see the appeal to McGonagall and Dumbledore; he could even understand why he had practically been forced to become a part of it. That didn't mean he had to like it. Draco definitely didn't like it. 

Granger and her do-gooder ways! Draco silently cursed her. She could have thought up a better way of bringing inter house unity to the school without involving muggle plays for Merlin's sake. So what if it was the most famous play in muggle history? Who cared? They were wizards and witches, magical folk; muggles should have no bearing on their lives whatsoever. 

But no, Granger had her way just as he had silently predicted she would, and now the bossy Gryffindor was the director of the Hogwart's production of Romeo and Juliet; and he had been landed with the starring role of Romeo. He didn't want the bloody part, he didn't want to be involved, but McGonagall had fixed him with a steely eyed stared and he had cowed beneath it and took the script from Granger with a grimace. The only saving grace was that Potter and Weasley had also been drafted into taking part and not behind the scenes as Weasley had suggested, they were to perform in the play too. 

Draco had to grudgingly admire Granger's cunning. She had cast Potter in the role of Mercutio, Romeo's best friend. It was inevitable therefore that he and Potter had to spend time together to rehearse, they had to speak to each other whether they liked it or not. 

Potter he could just about deal with. He could see for himself Potter was dreading the whole concept of the play and it gave Draco a little boost to be able to lord it over Potter, too long had Potter held the power in the war between them; especially now Potter had been vindicated when it had been proved the Dark Lord was back.   
Either way, it was bloody humiliating to be bossed about by Granger and have to take part in her rotten production, but Draco was stuck with it, and although he grouched about it to anyone who would listen there was a part of him which thrilled when he thought about his Juliet. 

The rain started to pick up, falling faster and harder until it started to bounce off the balcony. Wiping water off his face, Draco retreated into the castle, leaning his shoulder on the door frame he watched the rain fall. It seemed to him rain had been falling in his life a lot lately all dark and dismal; rain from his eyes, from his mother's eyes. All rain, never any sun. 

"Hello Draco." 

The soft voice made him jump, so engrossed had he been in his own thoughts he hadn't been aware of anyone approaching him. "What?" he snapped. It was Juliet. 

Luna Lovegood blinked slowly, as though she had trouble processing that one simple word. "Hermione asked me to look for you. Rehearsal has started, she's doing the fight scene between Harry and Blaise at the moment." 

The fact that Granger had cast a Slytherin in the role of Potter's killer always made Draco smile. 

"Hermione said she wants us to go over the balcony scene and the scene at the Capulet's." 

"Does she?" Draco strove for nonchalance. 

They were performing the whole play, it was inevitable Granger would schedule in the kissing scene at some point. Granger had said this was a world famous play and everyone in the muggle world could quote from it. She said it was the most romantic story in the world; but to Draco it was the catalyst which would allow him to kiss Luna Lovegood. 

"Hum." Luna looked over his shoulder to the iron -grey sky outside. "She said she would clear the hall so it would be just us." 

"Right." Draco flexed his fingers and rubbed his sweaty palms against his leg. "Shall we go then?" It would never do for Luna to think him nervous, for her to suspect he felt anything towards her except contempt. 

Luna gazed at him for a few moments. "I suppose we should, if you're ready." 

"I'm ready." Draco pushed off the door frame. "Might as well get it over with, the sooner we start the sooner I can get on with my day." 

"If you like, Draco." She smiled easily before turning away and making her way down the corridor towards the Great Hall. "Are you coming?" 

"Yes," Draco snapped, striding after her, eyes riveted on the light sway of her hips as she walked, the creamy skin of the backs of her thighs and the way her skirt brushed her legs; such lovely slender legs. Draco allowed himself a brief moment of indulgence as he delved into one of his favorite fantasies involving those legs wrapped around him, holding him tightly, refusing to let him go. 

Draco shook his head to clear it, he couldn't risk thinking about those kind of things right now, not when he was going to be kissing Luna very soon. His body stirred in anticipation at that very thought. 

They entered the Great Hall a few minutes later and Draco looked around in surprise, his mouth stupidly agape. The hall was filled with students of all ages in all manner of costume and makeup. 

Pansy Parkinson was standing with her hands on her hips barking orders at the unfortunate people who were on the decorations committee. Pansy had snagged the job of art director and no matter what he might think of her Draco had to admit the girl had an eye for colours and she was currently in the process of explaining in a shrill voice to Longbottom just why the flower arrangements he had prepared did not meet her expectations. 

Potter was on the makeshift stage a large floppy red hat perched jauntily on his head, a sword in one hand and a copy of the play in the other. Opposite him in a long green cloak also with a sword and a copy of the play was Blaise Zabini. 

Granger stood at the foot of the stage, quill tucked behind her ear and the ever present clipboard in her hands. "Now, I've marked out your routine with chalk crosses, hit them like I showed you, lunge at Harry and try not to actually stab him this time." 

"I didn't mean to stab him the last time," Blaise exclaimed. "The way you're going on about it anyone would think I did it on purpose." 

"You wouldn't have stabbed him at all if you'd listened to me in the first place," Hermione replied primly. "Now, action!" 

"Hermione, I have a problem with my costume." Ron Weasley emerged from behind a large painted background of a castle. 

"Not now, Ron." Hermione waved her hand at him irritably. "Harry, I said action." 

"Oh, right, yeah. Hold on." Harry flipped the parchment back to the correct page. "Um,....Good King of Cats, nothing but one of your nine lives; that I mean to make bold withal, and as you, um....as you..... shall use me hereafter, dry beat the rest of the eight. Will you pluck your sword out of his .... um..... his..... his....pilcher by the ears..... make haste, lest mine be about your ears ere it be out." 

"I am for you." Blaise drew his sword, cursing when it got tangled up in his cloak. 

Ginny Weasley suddenly appeared, clearly a stand in Romeo. "Is it necessary for me to be up here, Hermione?" 

"Yes!" Hermione snapped. "I need to see it play out to make sure it's right and my Romeo has gone walk about. You'll just have to muck in Ginny, now say Draco's line." 

Ginny sighed heavily, letting Hermione know she felt extremely put upon, but she delivered the short line anyway. "Gentle Mercutio, put thy rapier up."

"This play is so stupid," Ron said from beside Hermione, fiddling with the long cloak he was wearing which fell in giant festoons over his arm and trailed around his feet causing him to constantly trip up. "I didn't understand a single word Harry just said." 

"Oh will you hush?" Hermione shot him an exasperated look. "I'm trying to choreograph this fight." 

"I am hurt," Harry cried out a few moments later, clutching dramatically at his side and making Ginny snigger. "A plague o' both your houses!" He waved his sword around dangerously causing both Ginny and Blaise to duck back out of the way. "I am sped. Is he gone, and hath nothing?" 

"Harry," Hermione said patiently. "You are by far the worst Mercutio I have ever seen." 

"I can't act, Hermione, I told you that before we started this thing." 

"Too bad about that," Hermione retorted, "you're staying in the play." 

"Damn it," Harry hissed through his teeth. 

"Granger, I have a problem with my character?" Blaise said stepping to the edge of the stage.

"What is it? Be quick," Hermione said spotting Luna and Draco and waving them over. 

"I think maybe he should come back at the end, a nice surprise, a little unforseen twist?" 

"You die, Blaise," Hermione reminded him distractedly. "Where have you two been? Get on that stage we have work to do. We'll do the balcony scene first. Harry, move." She made little shooing motions with her hands. 

"Gladly." 

"Maybe I don't really die." Blaise was kneeling on the edge of the stage now trying to catch Hermione's eye. "Maybe..." 

"You die," she replied shortly. "You can't re-write Shakespeare for goodness sake. Get off the stage. Draco, don't go disappearing again you hold everyone up. Luna, go and see Lavender once we've finished she wants to check something about your costume." 

"Speaking of costumes, about mine," Ron began, his tone indicating he was all set up to complain. He didn't manage to get any further as Hermione turned on him furiously. 

"If you don't stop complaining about inconsequential things I'm going to hex you good!" 

Harry clapped a hand on Ron's shoulder. "You'd better leave it until later." 

Hermione was in full flow now, directing Draco and Luna onto the stage. She felt they were the perfect combination of innocence on Luna's part and outright defiance on Draco's. They looked well together too, although she hadn't noticed that until recently; and there was something she couldn't quite put her finger on sizzling just beneath the surface of Luna's dreamy face and Draco's cool facade. 

"But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?" Draco began at Hermione's gentle insistence. 

"Guess now isn’t a good time to ask her to change my name either." 

"At least everyone can say your name," Harry said. 

"It's bloody Paris! I sound like a girl," Ron complained gloomily. 

"RON!" Hermione bellowed angrily. "Will you shut up! You're ruining a perfectly wonderful romantic scene." 

"How romantic can it be? Malfoy's in it." 

"I'm warning you," she pointed her finger threateningly at him. 

Draco barely heard the exchange he went through his lines with his eyes on Luna, speaking directly to her, baring his soul under the guise of Romeo. He had read the whole play through a few times and while he didn't always completely understand what was being said, he did understand the basic principle of it. Juliet was the bright spot in Romeo's otherwise dull and predictable life, just the way Luna was for him. She was so completely different to the girls in his circle, she was completely different to anyone he had ever met before and she fascinated him. 

"O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name; or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, and I'll no longer be a Capulet." 

Her voice was soft flowing over him, surrounding him like the sweetest music. Her lips were pale pink he noted and the desire to kiss her surged through him stronger than anything he had felt before. Draco shifted his weight awkwardly from one foot to the other, automatically speaking his own lines, trying desperately to find something other than her to concentrate on. 

Luna gazed up at him with large dreamy eyes, her hand stretching out to touch his arm lightly. "And the place death, considering who thou art, if any of my kinsmen find thee here."

"Go kinsmen!" Dean Thomas whooped from the crowd of students who had ceased their own activities to gather in front of the stage and watch the scene unfold.   
Laughter bubbled up amongst the Gryffindor's drawing anger out in the Slytherin's and suddenly everyone was shouting at everyone else. 

Hermione ground her teeth together, the entire mood was ruined. "That's it, everyone out! You two stay there." She pointed at Draco and Luna. "Ginny, help me get everyone out of here, I can't judge the scene with people making stupid comments all the time and moaning about names and costumes." 

"Does that mean I can go as well?" Ginny asked hopefully. 

"Yes, just help me first." 

Draco sighed heavily, looking away from Luna and tuning out the bossy voice of Granger as he glanced towards the window. The rain still hadn't let up, the large windows of the Great Hall were stained with water, all smudged and blurry, and the day had gone so dark it appeared to be early evening instead of the afternoon. It was a depressing sight, much like his life these days with his father tucked away in Azkaban and his ever present lust to contend with. 

“Okay.” Hermione returned to the stage having successfully sent everyone away. She ran a hand across her sweaty forehead, pushing at the mad frizzy strands of hair which had escaped their tight braid. “Let’s continue shall we? Just forget I’m here, I won’t interrupt unless I have to. Luna, go up to the balcony will you, you won’t be next to Draco when we do this for real.” 

Luna smiled, totally unaffected by the bossing which set Draco’s teeth on edge. She left the stage and he heard her feet on the wooden steps hidden behind the large set of a balcony Seamus Finnegan had produced. She appeared a moment later gazing down at him from the fake balcony. “I’m ready when you are, Draco.” 

He swallowed. “Hum, right. From where we left off then, Granger? Get it done quicker?” 

Hermione glowered. “Shakespeare is not to be done quickly, Draco. We’ll go from the top.” 

Draco hid his smile of satisfaction, he knew Granger and her love for this play well enough by now to know suggesting skipping over things or hurrying things along was enough to make her go back to the beginning determined to do it right. He gave her an annoyed look and a disgruntled sigh, best for her to think he was irritated rather than enjoying himself immensely. 

Hermione smiled, her eyes shining as she watched the two star crossed lovers in the world famous balcony scene. She had been right in her casting, no other two students could have captured her imagination like these two; they had such natural chemistry. Perfectly cast. She sighed happily; her play would be a success and everyone would think that Draco Malfoy and Luna Lovegood could act their little socks off. 

“Wonderful!” She clapped enthusiastically. “Come on down, Luna and we’ll go back to the Capulet’s act one scene five. We’ll ignore the first part for now, just start after Tybalt exits.” 

Draco swallowed nervously, willing his body to behave. He glanced down at the script in his hand although he didn’t need to look at it, he knew his lines by heart. He might not be totally happy about being in the play, but if he was going to do something and in front of the whole school too, he was going to do it right. Draco Malfoy didn’t make a fool of himself! 

“If I profane with my unworthiest hand, This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this, my lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.” He hardly heard the rising wind slashing the rain against the window pane, his blood was roaring too loudly in his ears; it was coming up, any minute now and he would get to kiss her. 

Draco’s eyes bored into hers so intently Luna’s hand shook and her tongue tripped over the words. It was almost as if her world consisted only of his eyes; deep, dark and mysterious. 

Her voice a quite whisper, Luna looked up at Draco through her lashes, “Then have my lips the sin that they have took.”

Luna’s head tipped back offering him her lips as Draco moved into her body and Hermione sat on the edge of her seat leaning forward eagerly. 

His lips touched hers, a light whispered caress; he felt Luna shiver her hands reaching up to fist blindly in his shirt as her lips parted invitingly. Placing one hand lightly on her waist Draco drew her closer letting her feel the length of his body against her own and he nearly groaned when he felt her respond and kiss him back. 

When the need to breathe became too pressing Draco broke the kiss, satisfaction surging through him at the flushed cheeks and dazed eyes looking back at him. “Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged! Give me my sin again.” His voice was rough when he spoke, full of raw emotion Draco could do nothing to hide, but Luna didn’t seem to notice, she merely tightened her hold on him and swung up onto her tip toes displaying her total willingness to kiss him again. 

Their lips met for a second time, one hand creeping up to cup her face, stroking along her cheek, his thumb gently tracing her jaw. Draco let go, let all his pent up emotions into the kiss while keeping a tight hold of his raging lust, this was not the time or the place to let that out! 

Draco could feel the cotton of his school shirt straining from his shoulders as Luna’s small hands gripped the material tighter and he felt, rather than heard, her let out a small moan. His fingers flexed against her waist, his tongue delving into her mouth to taste and touch and explore and just when he thought he might explode a loud crash sounded in his ears and Luna jerked from him gasping for breath, her eyes wide with surprise. 

Luna blinked at him uncertainly for a moment before turning her head towards the source of the noise. “Hermione? Are you okay?” 

Draco followed her line of vision and it was a testament as to how confused and flustered and completely aroused he was that he couldn’t think of one single scathing comment to make to Hermione Granger who had upended her chair and landed on the floor. 

“Fine.” Hermione blushed as she scrambled to her feet. “I sat too far on the end of the chair and toppled over. I’m not hurt.” Picking up her clipboard and quill she brushed herself off trying her best not to appear flustered at what she had just witnessed. “Maybe… maybe we should just stop there for today?” 

“Are you sure?” Luna was at the end of the stage now, running a critical eye over Hermione’s flushed and embarrassed face. 

“Yes, I mean, if you want to continue yourselves then that’s fine, I’d encourage you to do that, but I have to get on. I have to speak to Lavender about the costumes and Ernie about the music. You know how he gets, he likes everything to be just so and the sooner I sort him out the better. But of course, don’t let me stop you if you want to carry on.” 

Luna watched Hermione with an incredulous expression on her face as her friend backed away from the stage as though it might suddenly come alive and attack her.

“I’ll see you later, Luna. Good job, Draco.” She nodded at them and spun on her heel, hurrying across the room to the door. 

“Well, that was odd,” Luna said, turning to face Draco for confirmation. “Don’t you think?” she persisted when Draco didn’t look as though he were going to speak. 

Draco barely noticed Luna and spoken at all, somewhere between the first kiss and the second the rain had eased and light, gentle beams of white sunlight peeked from between the heavy grey clouds, slanting down upon the windows of Hogwarts, shining into the Great Hall reflecting off Luna's hair and giving the impression of a halo around her head. Draco could understand more fully now this annoying sense of desire which gripped him whenever she was around. 

“That’s mudbloods for you,” he responded, his voice still thick with repressed lust. 

“Hum, must be the nargles,” Luna said, her lips pursing in thought. 

Draco’s lips twitched into an unwilling smile. She really was the bright spot in a dull day.


	6. Shooting Stars (M)

There was a very light breeze this night, it lifted the loose tendrils of dirty blonde hair around Luna Lovegood’s face, they drifted into her eyes and across her cheeks. Luna didn’t mind, she liked the cooling breeze. Her large, silvery blue eyes stared up at the sky from where she leant in the Astronomy Tower of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, her arms crossed on the grey stone window sill. 

She was waiting, patiently and quietly for the shooting stars which were meant to appear tonight. Luna was certain she had calculated correctly, she knew a lot about the sky and stars and constellations, she was sure there would be shooting stars tonight. 

On the floor beside her, back against the wall, long legs stretched out in front of him and fidgeting was Draco Malfoy. He was less sure there would be shooting stars. Comets, hurricanes, meteors, they could be predicted; Draco was sure shooting stars could not. He kept his own counsel however bored he might be, Luna had her heart set on shooting stars and just maybe she would prove him wrong. She usually did. 

“You didn’t happen to get a time with your calculations did you? My ass is going to sleep.” 

Luna smiled. “No, Draco. I couldn’t do that. You can go back to the Slytherin common room if you like, you don’t have to wait up here with me.” 

“I’ll wait,” he replied firmly. Draco didn’t like Luna being out of the Ravenclaw Common room by herself at night, not with the Carrow’s in charge of Hogwarts. He didn’t know what form her punishment would take for being out of bed after hours but he knew with the same certainty he knew the sky was blue that it wouldn’t be good. 

“You’re sweet.” She bestowed a fond little look upon him. 

Draco grumbled under his breath, “Am not.” He didn’t want her thinking he was some sort of push over, although he did give in to her and regularly even when, like tonight, he knew it was foolish and dangerous. At least being with him meant Luna stood a chance at receiving nothing more than a row for breaking school rules and maybe a little detention, but nothing too severe. He was after all, a Death Eater just like the people in charge of the school and therefore he qualified for special treatment. Draco liked special treatment, he always had done, it just proved he was superior to others. 

“It will be our little secret,” she said in a whisper. 

Draco smiled in spite of himself. 

“I don’t see why you don’t do that more often.” 

“Do what?” 

“Smile,” she said simply. “You’re ever so nice when you smile, Draco.” She laughed when he glowered at her and she turned back to surveying the night sky. 

The sky was an endless fascination for Luna, although lately she had found a new obsession to replace it; Draco Malfoy. 

It had all been quite innocent and accidental when she had kissed him that first time. She had not been looking for anything from him, it was simply a thank you gesture for his assistance, he had scared off a couple of Slytherin girls whose teasing was rather getting out of hand. Draco had said he had done it because he didn’t need the hassle of dealing with an investigation by Snape if something had happened to her and he most certainly didn’t want to have the Malfoy named mixed up in some ridiculous prank gone wrong. He had purely selfish motives. 

Luna didn’t doubt that for a second. From everything she had seen of Draco up until that moment it appeared he was very selfish and she had bluntly told him so and then she had kissed his cheek, but he had moved at the same time, ready to lay into her about her remark and they had missed kissed.

Awkward: definitely. 

Surprising: certainly. 

Exciting: definitely. 

Especially when he had grabbed her forearms and held her still when he kissed her properly. That had been the most wonderful of all. 

Since that moment they seemed to run into each other all the time, and each time had resulted in secret snatched kisses; wonderful, delicious kisses which left her breathless and wanting more. 

Perhaps, Luna mused as she pushed a tendril of hair out of her eyes, perhaps they sought each other out without ever admitting it to each other or to themselves. She liked the idea of them being subconsciously drawn to each other, it appealed to the romantic in her. 

“You don’t like astronomy, do you, Draco?” It was more of an observation than an actual question, but Luna posed it as one anyway. 

“No, it’s a load of rubbish,” Draco replied. “Just like divination.” 

“That’s a tricky one.” 

Her response frustrated him; a lot of Luna’s responses frustrated him. To Draco, everything was black and white, but Luna liked the grey. She couldn’t give him a straight answer, she always had to talk in riddles. 

“Why?” He always found himself asking that question even when he resolutely told himself he didn’t care. Somehow Luna always managed to make him ask “why”.   
“The Sight is a gift, a very rare and special gift. Not everyone has it. There are some aspects of divination which can be taught and can be used by all witches and wizards because we have magic in our blood. But the Sight is something only bestowed on people those who deserve it.” Luna gave a little sigh, “I wish I had it.” 

“Maybe you do,” Draco said, feeling generous. “If I had to bet on anyone I know having the Sight I’d put my money on you.” 

“That’s nice of you. But no, I don’t think I have it. I think it would have started to develop by now.” 

“Maybe you’re right.” 

Somehow he had drifted towards her, Luna didn’t remember Draco getting to his feet, but he was close to her now, hovering over her. 

“I am?” 

“Hum.” Draco gently undid the first button of the paisley blouse she wore. “If you had the Sight you’d know how dangerous it is for you to be up here with me.” 

“That would been handy.” There was a slight quaver to her voice. 

He undid the second button and the blouse, a size too large for her, sagged off her shoulder exposing her bra. She took an unsteady breath and automatically reached to pull her blouse back together. 

“No.” Draco’s voice was low and deep; commanding, and Luna’s hands stilled.

His fingers brushed the top of her breast, soft and feather-light. He watched with satisfaction as gooseflesh popped out over her skin and she caught her bottom lip between her teeth. 

Bending his head Draco brushed his lips over her breast, finding her hardened nipple easily through the fabric of her bra and tugging lightly with his teeth. He was rewarded with a soft gasp and her fingers gripping hold of his shoulder. 

Lifting his head Draco sought out her eyes, large and dreamy, looking distinctly fuzzy. He held her gaze while he wrapped her slender fingers around the hem of her skirt and drew her hand upwards taking the skirt with her. 

Her lips parted to say something, to protest. “We can’t….” but he forestalled all protests when he knelt before her, eyes still holding hers and warm hands stroking firmly up her thighs. 

Luna wasn’t sure what it was about Draco Malfoy which rendered her totally helpless and insensible, but he did it to her and it appeared, without hardly trying and he fascinated her. 

A soft kiss against the top of her thigh brought Luna out of her thoughts and she blinked rapidly down at him. A beam of moonlight fell through the window highlight every white blonde streak of his hair until it almost glowed. 

She could feel the barest of touches as he traced the seam of her underwear and Draco heard her breath catch. He glanced up at her. “This won’t hurt, I promise.” He pushed aside the prim white knickers, parting her with his thumbs and Luna gave a startled squeak at the feeling of his warm mouth against her. 

Luna had thought in her naïve and innocent day dreams that there wasn’t a feeling in the world to rival Draco’s kisses, but he was proving her wrong.

Draco tasted her with slow, languid movements, he didn’t want to overload her, didn’t want to rush her, didn’t want to loose his control. She was ripe and sweet, and his hands tightened on her hips at the fleeting thought that she was his; in this moment she was all his. It was his name falling from her lips in a dreamy husky voice, it was his hair the fingers of her free hand burrowed in and it was him she was opening up to with low moans and throaty sighs. 

When his tongue slipped inside her Luna trembled, her nails scratching at his scalp. When his thumb pressed to the hard bundle of nerves at the apex of her thighs and stroked gently she let out a shuddering breath and squirmed. 

“Easy,” Draco’s voice was a low rumble. 

“Too much.” She whimpered as he stroked the overly sensitive nerves again. 

“Not yet,” he promised, returning to his task, getting lost in her all over again. 

Luna’s eyes closed and her head fell back against the stone wall. She experienced her first orgasm with a sharp cry and bucking of hips, a pleasure like nothing she had felt before washed through her and Luna was glad of Draco’s hands on the backs of her legs holding her upright. 

She watched Draco rise to his feet, he winced slightly and rubbed at his knee, the stone floor was hard and cold. He leant into her, tracing her jaw with the tip of his index finger. “Not so selfish now, am I?” he teased lightly. 

“No,” she replied, getting lost in the deep silver well of his eyes; all smoky and hot. 

“Your shooting stars never made an appearance after all.” 

“I wouldn’t say that,” Luna said. 

“I didn’t see any.” Draco looked surprised. 

“Well no, you wouldn’t have,” Luna replied reasonably. “Shooting stars aren’t always in the sky, Draco.” 

He looked confused and frustrated all at once and Luna patted his arm kindly. She had not only seen shooting stars behind her closed eyelids when Draco brought her to the very brink, but as she had toppled over she had felt them in her blood. 

She could explain herself, but Luna thought it might make him a little too conceited, and Draco was conceited enough as it was without her adding to it.


	7. Mist (M)

Draco sat at his bedroom window in Malfoy Manor staring out at the vast grounds which would someday be his and his alone. The night was dark, drops of moisture beaded the window pane and his breath fogged up the glass. 

From the window Draco could see the mountains and a white mist hovered over them like froth on a coffee, lingering and swirling. It had moved down from the mountains too, darkening the closer to the land it came, crossing over the fields and the trees, and creeping into the grounds of his home like a live thing. It moved slowly, like a fierce languid predator feeling no need to rush because it knew it was going to consume its prey eventually. 

Draco watched as the mist, thicker now it was so close to him, curled itself around the large oak tree in the garden like a serpent. It inched its way along the perfectly manicured lawn, smoky tendrils reaching out, feeling their way like dark fingers. Draco shuddered and retreated from the glass a little, the mist looked so dark, so thick, so dense, as though it would swallow whole everything in its path and consume the world. 

He turned his head, his eyes instinctively drawn to the figure on his bed. Draco knew what it was like to be consumed and he didn’t like it one little bit. To be consumed with lust, with love, might be all right it would probably feel a lot better than how he was feeling right now.

Draco was consumed with desire; the desire to control, the desire to possess. Depraved desires caught him up in a maelstrom and twisted his mind the way his fingers would twist her nipple just so to make her cry out in pain and arch towards him at the same time in a silent plea for more. 

She lay there on his bed, dirty blonde hair plastered to her head, a pink flush in her cheeks and her arms tied neatly above her head. Her eyes; those wide spaced silvery grey eyes watched him, tracking every move he made. 

If someone had told him one day he would have Luna Lovegood tied to his head board waiting patiently for the next round of pain and pleasure Draco would never in his wildest dreams have believed them. But she seemed to crave him in much the same way he craved her. 

He needed to be in control of something, he needed to lash out against this feeling of uselessness which hounded him; so he controlled her, lashed out at her; and she accepted it. Every depraved thing he had done to her she accepted. Draco had never asked her why she accepted it, he just assumed Luna liked it rough. He knew he did. He hadn’t known that before. Draco was discovering a lot of new things about himself. Not much of which he liked. 

Luna watched Draco with avid interest, he looked like a man on the edge and she hoped he would release his frustrations soon; her nerves were stretched taunt waiting for him. 

Draco was the bright spot in her otherwise dark existence in the basement of Malfoy Manor. It was a strange thing to think about the boy who hurt her, but he never used her body for his own end; they shared their pleasure as they shared their pain. Draco just didn’t realise it yet. 

Luna found when she had Draco inside her she could focus wholly on him and the bittersweet world of pain and pleasure he took her to. It was easier to accept her situation as a captive of the Death Eaters that way, when she had a chance to escape it every so often. 

She shifted on the bed, the cotton of the Slytherin tie rubbing against her wrists. It had taken Luna a little while to work out why Draco physically tied her when he could just as easily use magic to keep her in place. But then she had come to realise he tied her because he chose to do so. He had made a choice. Luna understood, even though Draco had ever said anything, that it was probably one of the very few choices he was able to make in his life at the moment. 

The tie, Luna mused, probably just gave him a little kick. 

Draco came to stand at the foot of the bed eyes trailing up her body, noting the dark finger marks on her hips and the bruising to her skin. Strangely, the sight of his mark on her did not excite him, it didn’t depress him either, it just gave him a feeling of satisfaction knowing at some point in the last day or so he had been in control of something. 

Luna’s legs parted invitingly, and Draco had a moment of stark clarity where he realised they did so because that was her choice. Luna accepted him into her body because she chose to. He was the only choice she had, she could choose to accept him or she could choose not to. She always chose to accept him no matter how roughly he treated her or what shameless, licentious words he spilled into her ear. 

He crawled onto the bed between her legs. He could quite easily fit his fingers to the marks on her hips, but Draco took great pains to position his fingers around those mark in order to make new ones. Luna wouldn’t mind, she would probably welcome it, she got off on the pain just as he did. 

He shifted over her, pressing his knee between her legs and Luna watched him as she rubbed against him, looking for the relief he was so good at giving her. Draco bent his head and took her nipple into his mouth closing his teeth around the hardened bud. He didn’t bite, but he did tug; sharply and she gave a small cry, her body bucking up towards him. By now he knew what to do to ensure she was ready for him and Draco had discovered letting her wait for him all bound to the bed did a great deal in ensuring she was ready for him. 

Thoughtfully, Draco took the candle from the bedside table and brought it to hover over her. Luna watched him, eyes bright in the light of the flame. Luna could feel the heat of the flame against her skin as he brought the candle closer to her, she didn’t for a moment believe he would burn her, Draco never did anything which could really and truly hurt or damage her. 

Luna gave a startled cry of pain when Draco upended the candle and let a blob of wax drip down onto her bare skin. He waited, watching her, but she didn’t object, she wiggled a little but that was it. He did it again, against her shoulder and Luna hissed, the sharp heat of the wax hitting her skin was momentary, just enough to let her feel something and keep her attention on Draco, trying to guess what he would do next. 

Draco appeared to realise that, he used his wand to lengthen the tie and wrap it around her eyes, taking away her sight. The move pleased both of them for different reasons; Draco because he had more control and Luna because she could totally focus on each new spark of pain he gave her. It was the only time she seemed to feel anything at all. She did wonder sometimes if she had lost her hope and that was why she felt nothing until she was with Draco, but Luna didn’t examine the thought too closely, for once she was happy to avoid the truth if at all possible. It wasn’t like her, but then she wasn’t in a normal circumstance. 

It was almost easier to believe she had lost all hope than to face the truth; that she enjoyed this depravity for some other reason. 

Draco spent some time on his new pass time, he experimented with the height of the candle from her skin, sometimes holding it close so the wax was doubly hot, sometimes letting the wax fall from above so it had a chance to cool a little by the time it hit her skin. He varied his pattern, from her shoulders, to her chest to her stomach and even on her legs and hips. She never knew where he was going to hit her next; complete control. 

Luna gave a loud cry when the wax dropped onto her nipple and she squirmed beneath him, moaning softly as she found the friction she required against his knee. 

He was hard and aching and desperate to be inside her. 

Sometimes it almost seemed as though a mist had come over him all icy and dense, blocking out everything which had once been good about him and leaving him in the dark where these corrupt thoughts and needs were the only things he had left to use to cling to his humanity. 

For reasons unknown to him, Draco happened to glance towards the window. The mist had risen now and was swirling around outside his bedroom window, floating there like a ghost. It frightened him, although Draco couldn’t say exactly why. 

With a hard thrust of his hips Draco was inside her and Luna cried out in surprised pleasure. His hands gripped her tightly, his fingers embedding into her soft flesh, leaving their imprints behind. He drove home inside her, each thrust harder than the last one until he practically forced her body as far up the bed as it would go and her head knocked against the headboard every now and then. 

Again Draco’s attention wandered to the window, although he never broke his stride. Once he got going he didn’t stop until he was crying out his release, spilling inside her while she gripped him tightly and screamed his name. 

The mist seemed to be pressing up against the window now, looking for a way in. Draco already knew what it was like to live with the mist, it was inside his head all the time. 

He had been so lost, so alone, so completely out of control; an impenetrable mist drifting over his life all heavy and clogging; consuming him until Draco had no idea where to turn or who to trust. He had felt almost entombed. 

He still felt lost but he was no longer alone. He still felt out of control but he now knew what to do to rectify that. 

“Draco!” Luna’s voice penetrated his mind, her inner muscles clamping down hard. 

He controlled her.


	8. Full Moon (E)

The things he did, Draco thought as he sat on the front steps of Luna's home and removed his shoes and socks. He was a Malfoy and Malfoy's did not wander through fields and woods in their bare feet in the middle of the night.

Yet here he was, following Luna down the path, out of her rickety garden gate and across the field towards the small patch of woods across the river.

Luna liked being barefoot, she said it helped her keep in touch with nature. Draco disliked being barefoot, he was concerned about stepping in things. Once he'd stepped on a slug and refused to take his shoes and socks off outside for a month. Luna however had her little ways of convincing him to do things.

"What exactly are we doing?" Draco asked, carefully balancing on the slippery stones as he made his way across the river. Luna just waded in.

"Didn't I say?"

"No. All you said was that you wanted my help when the moon was full."

"I want to capture the energy of the full moon."

Draco closed his eyes and took a quiet patient breath. "I'm not sure that's possible, Luna."

"Careful you don't trip, Draco," Luna said, ducking under a low hanging branch, making her way into the thicket of trees.

"Or step on things," Draco muttered.

"Did you know our bodies are made up mostly of water?" she asked conversationally, choosing to ignore his negativity. Draco had always been the glass is half empty sort of person.

Draco smiled. "I do now."

"There's a connection between the phases of the moon and water, you know."

"The tide and stuff, yes, I know."

Luna came to a stop in a small clearing where the moon shone down through the canopy of leaves, sprinkling the ground with silver light. "So it stands to reason the full moon also affects us. The gravitational pull gives us more energy, sexual energy that is."

Draco's eyebrows lifted and a smirk curled his lips. He was just thinking of something appropriately teasing to throw at her when she completely blindsided him by slipping her robes from her shoulders. It hadn't occurred to him Luna could be naked beneath her robes.

"The moon represents our inner world, our hidden emotions and desires, so it makes sense the full moon is the perfect time for mating and to express ourselves sexually." She glanced at him over her shoulder, a quizzical expression on her face. "Doesn't it?"

Draco swallowed and nodded. "I suppose so."

It wasn't as if he hadn't seen her naked before; hadn't touched her and kissed her and been inside her too many times to even consider counting. But he hadn't seen her like this before, with her bare skin bathed in the ghostly light of the full moon, her hair turning almost silver and the shadows making ethereal patterns over her skin.

She looked like a spirit, like something wonderful and fascinating and far beyond the earthly plane; something to look at and worship and long for, but never touch, never hold, never possess.

He swallowed again, wetting his lips.

"Sitting in the light of the moon can help to absorb some of the moons energy," Luna continued, sinking to her knees and tipping her head back.

"Uh huh." Hands fumbling, Draco discarded his clothes without thought.

"The full moon has a tremendous amount of energy, and it can amplify everything, like your mind and emotions and..." she paused and glanced over her shoulder at him "... your body."

And _that_ was how she got him to do things he really shouldn't be doing.

Moving in behind her, Draco let the very tips of his fingers rest on her shoulders, his hands running down her arms without even touching her.

She let out a breath, leaning back against him. Reaching behind she hooked an arm around his neck, her head tipping to the side and back so she could brush her lips along his jaw. "The full moon intensifies everything."

Her voice was barely above a whisper, but Draco felt it vibrate along every cell and every fine hair on his body. His hands spanned her rib cage, feeling it expand and contract with her soft even breaths before arrowing up to cup her breasts, her nipples abrading his palms.

His lips brushed her shoulder and her neck extended invitingly as her head tipped back. He kissed her, tracing the curve of her neck to the smooth space behind her ear, licking at the spot as her breath caught.

Her fingers caught his, drawing his hand down the smooth expanse of her stomach and brought it between her legs. Draco groaned, eyes closing as he relished the warm wet sensation against his hand. With slow movements he spread her open, stroking lightly against her, feeling her body's corresponding shiver.

There was only a small space between them and Luna was at an awkward angle, but she still slipped her hand between them to wrap around his cock, wet against her back, even if she couldn't move her hand properly. "It's important we're connected," she murmured.

Two fingers pressed into her open body and she made a soft sound of pleasure. The heel of his hand providing a delicious source of friction as her hips began to move in contrast to his hand, riding his fingers as her hand squeezed and flexed over him.

She turned her face to his as best she could and Draco knew what she wanted. His lips met hers in leisurely opened mouthed kisses, his thumb moving lazily over her nipple, his body straining with want. Both hands went to her inner thighs, spreading her legs wider and urging her up at the same time where she could take him inside her.

Luna broke the kiss and released her hold on him, her hands tapping his wrists lightly. "I need to stay connected to nature." Her voice became thicker when aroused, still soft and breathy, but noticeably different. "And I don't want to disrupt our sexual energy or the energy from the moon. Besides, your way would create an imbalance."

Draco rubbed his cheek against hers. "What do you mean?" His voice had changed too; deeper, softer, huskier, it rasped from his tight throat.

"The full moon is the perfect time for mating. Nature doesn't mate your way, Draco. It has to be right if I'm going to try and absorb the moons energy." Luna wiggled in his grasp bringing her body forward and pressing her palms flat to the earth until she was on her hands and knees.

Lust slammed through him, hot and all consuming and for a moment Draco couldn't breathe. She was every dream and fantasy he'd ever had rolled into one. His palm smoothed over the gentle curve of her behind before guiding himself inside her.

She gasped when his cock breached her, the sound washing over him.

"Not too fast, Draco," she instructed, her voice straining with desire.

His every nerve ending felt alive as he moved into her, stretching her, sliding in deeper and slowly withdrawing. His hand moved languidly over her back, tracing her hip, stroking up her sides to brush her breast before fitting his fingers back against her hips. She was so warm, so wet fluttering around him, Draco's eyes closed as he lost himself in the drowning pleasure only being inside Luna could create.

Her soft panting breaths were like a beautiful symphony and her body tensed and quivered as he filled her with strong, sure strokes. She moaned when he pushed into her, hips pressed back to follow him as he withdrew and it was Draco's turn to moan.

Everything in him was tightening, vision clouding and blood rushing as pleasure consumed him. He was balancing, wavering right on the edge, one little push and he'd be over. Suddenly Luna cried out, her orgasm hitting. Her hips slammed back, taking him off guard and causing him to hit bottom in her and Draco's shout filled the small clearing when he spiralled over the edge.

Sliding his arms around her, Draco pulled Luna back towards him, sitting back on his heels and drawing her into his lap. She sank into his shoulder with a sigh and his arms settled around her, rocking her gently.

Her hand came up to stroke his cheek. "That was quite wonderful, Draco."

Draco smirked and kissed her cheek. "It was." He tucked her hair behind her ear. "Did you harness the energy?"

"I don't think so," Luna said with a small pout. "I felt just as I always feel with you. I didn't feel any outside influence at all."

Taking her chin between thumb and forefinger Draco kissed her deeply. "Never mind. There's always next month."

Luna's eyes widened a fraction. "You'd try it again?"

"Just for you," he said, giving her another kiss.

"I'd really appreciate it, Draco."

Draco merely smiled; he didn't for a second think it would work, but he was willing to indulge her. In fact, Draco could hardly wait for the next full moon.

 

 

 


	9. Freezing Cold, but with Sunshine

 

Some people were able to cope with fear, to take it and bend and shape it to their will and come out the other side stronger than they believed they could be. Draco Malfoy was not one of those people.

He had been consumed with darkness. He had been swamped by guilt. He had been pushed to his limits emotionally and mentally until he thought he might snap under the strain.

He had lived in fear; felt it watching him from the shadows, sniffing at his heels, breathing down his neck until Draco felt he would never be free from it.

The Dark Lord was gone, but the Dark Mark remained seared on Draco's arm, burnt into his flesh, a constant reminder not just of a bad decision but the fear too.

The fear was still with him, Draco seemed unable to shake it even in his dreams. In his dreams he was haunted by all the things he had seen. The terrible things he had done. The decision he had made which had brought about devastating consequences.

And now the time had come to face his fear all over again.

Hogwarts had been rebuilt, it was time to return and complete his seventh year. He would be back in the place where Ron Weasley had almost died and where Dumbldore had sacrificed his life because of the decisions Draco had made. It was the place Vincent Crabbe had burned to death and he would have gone the same way if it hadn't been for Harry Potter saving his life.

Draco hadn't exactly been popular during his time at Hogwarts, popularity implied being liked and Draco knew he hadn't been particularly liked, especially by those outside of his own house; but school hadn't been a bad experience. He hadn't hated going and had got along quite well.

This time, Draco knew it wouldn't be the same. Everyone would stare at him, whisper about him and maybe even flat out say what they thought about him to his face; and he would have no response to give. Sneering, being a Malfoy, being rich, being a pureblood wouldn't cut it anymore. He'd be nothing. Worse than nothing; he'd be a Death Eater, and not just any Death Eater. He would be the Death Eater who had caused Dumbledore's death. He would be the Death Eater who had cursed Katie Bell. He would be the Death Eater who had housed the Dark Lord and been the first to step over when it was thought Harry Potter was dead and all was lost.

Going back to Hogwarts was terrifying.

It had become so bad Draco was afraid to sleep.

Sleep or not, the day still came. The cold dawn crept over the mountain behind Malfoy Manor. It was so cold a thin layer of frost sparkled on the ground. There was no way to stop the hands of the clock and all too soon the time had come to leave for Kings Cross Station.

The morning stayed cold, as if it sensed his foreboding. His breath plumed in the air. The sun was out, but it gave no warmth, as if to do so would lift the fear from his shoulders. Even the weather was against him.

Draco had played with the idea of waiting until the last minute to board the Hogwarts Express, but then everyone would see him arrive. It might be better to sneak on early and hide in a compartment in the back corner of the train; but then he'd have to sit there while everyone else boarded and run the risk of a confrontation before the train even left the station.

In the end, Draco just arrived as he always had done, people were going to stare and gossip either way and there was nothing he could do about it. He just appeared through the barrier, trying to give off a nonchalant air while his stomach tied itself up in knots.

As he had anticipated, eyes followed his every step; mouths popped open and people turned to their neighbour to whisper about him. It was infinitely worse than Draco had imagined. The temperature on the platform seemed to plummet. There was nowhere to hide; he was completely exposed to anything they wished to throw at him be it a curse, a snide remark or the horrible truth.

Draco had insisted his parents remain at home and not accompany him to the station. He wouldn't have them with him at school and Draco felt it was better to start as he would probably go on; alone. Besides, he had wanted to spare his mother this very thing, it would only worry her to see the animosity he faced.

Picking the nearest door, Draco headed for it, intent on getting off the platform and out of the open. He was almost there when a boy half turned to block his path. Draco paused, aware all eyes were on him waiting to see how he would handle the situation. He recognised the boy as Zacharias Smith a boy his own age from Hufflepuff. Unlike him, Smith was not alone, Seamus Finnegan stood near him as did Ernie McMillan, Hannah Abbott and Terry Boot. Draco's mouth went dry and the wind pricked at his face, the icy bite to it seemed to seep into his pores and chill his blood. Smith he could handle, but not all of them.

"What are you doing here?" Smith demanded.

Before Draco could respond a voice floated towards him; soft and airy, seemingly oblivious to the tension.

"Hello, Draco."

Draco let his eyes shift from Smith's arrogant stare to look at the girl who had appeared at his side. Luna Lovegood gazed up at him a dreamy tilt to her lips. The tension in his shoulders eased a fraction and he managed to keep the surprised look off his face.

"Hello," he replied.

"It's cold today, isn't it?"

Draco nodded.

Luna kept her eyes on Draco. "Seems colder here than it does on the other side of the barrier."

Draco kept his eyes on her too, but he could sense Smith and the others shifting about, a ripple of discomfort moving through the little group.

The wind suddenly picked up, whistling along the platform and Luna gave a little gasp in response, pulling her coat closer around her. "Maybe we should get on board? It should be warmer on the train."

"Hey, Luna!" Neville Longbottom was hanging out of a window half way up the train waving at her. "We're all in here."

Luna waved back, the weak sun slanting around the corner of the platform hitting her hair making it shine, the eyes of ladybug clip tucked into her hair winked at Draco. "I'll come and see you later, Neville. I'm going to sit with Draco."

Draco wasn't sure who exactly was more surprised; him, Longbottom or Smith and his little group. As if her announcement wasn't surprising enough, Luna's hand suddenly slipped into his, fingers sliding through his and she smiled brightly at him.

His palms were clammy, but Luna gave no sign she was aware of it. Her hand was cold, but it sent a surge of warmth through him. For reasons he would never understand, Luna Lovegood of all people was offering forgiveness and help. Draco held a little tighter to her hand as she tugged him up the steps and on to the train.

She found a compartment, closing the door behind them, and slipping the lock home, she then pulled the little door blind. Even when he sat down, Luna kept a hold of him and sat beside him. "I'm used to people staring at me and whispering. You aren't. Shutting them out won't stop it, but it'll give you some space to breathe."

"Why are you being nice to me?" It came out a hoarse sort of croak and Draco cleared his throat, a flush creeping into his cheeks.

Luna gazed passed him out of the window. "Sometimes they don't even whisper, as if my being different to them means I don't feel the same things they do. I know how you feel, Draco. I know what it's like to be lonely."

Strangely, it was only then it hit him; he was lonely. He'd been lonely for a long time, even when he was surrounded by people. For the first time in a long time, Draco felt he was sitting with someone who would genuinely listen to what he had to say. Although, he couldn't say why she would do so. He hadn't given Luna Lovegood any reason to like him. He was guilty of saying mean things to her and about her and not giving a damn how his words affected her. She had also been held prisoner in the cellar at his home. He had not ordered it, he had not been the one to capture her or lock her away and he had not seen her since she arrived there, but he had known about it and had done nothing. Luna is seemed, didn't condemn him for any of it, she was still sitting there, acting as a shield between him and the world. It was a humbling experience and Draco wasn't sure what to say to her.

She smiled, her eyes coming to rest on his face again. "You don't have to worry about being lonely, Draco. I'll be your friend."

He frowned. "Why?"

"Everyone should have a friend," she said simply. "I know what it's like not to have any."

Draco knew Luna would do for him, a condemned Death Eater, a pariah in their world, what nobody had done for her until Harry Potter had come into her life. Harder hearts than Draco's, men stronger than Draco, would have crumbled at the sweet smile and the soft dreamy eyes which promised acceptance and protection when it was most needed.

A wave of affection washed over him, quite different to anything Draco had ever felt before and he wanted to say something, but the right words wouldn't come. Her fingers squeezed his gently and the sun, hanging low in the sky, shone through the window on to her face, brightening her eyes. There was something so pure, so perfect about her in that single moment. Without giving it much thought, if he had, Draco surely would never have done it; he kissed her.

She tasted like sunshine and careless laughter, of freedom and the soft haziness of golden promises. The air between them sizzled and they were both panting for breath when he finally pulled back.

Draco's heart was pounding and he was floating blissfully with the ghost of her lips still lingering on his. If the flame in her cheeks was any indication, she was just as susceptible to him.

Luna had brought the sun with her and the day didn't seem so cold any more with her finger still entwined with his. Maybe, Draco thought, this year wouldn't be quite as bad as he had imagined.


	10. Windy (E)

 

Huddled in a niche overlooking the grounds of the school, Draco stared unseeingly out at the darkness. There was darkness everywhere he looked; outside, in his own mind and even in his eyes when he caught a glimpse of them in the mirror. Draco tried not to look too long at his reflection these days, he hardly recognised himself. He had always been on the pale side, but now he looked hallow and haunted, not surprising really with the mission bestowed upon him by the Dark Lord hanging over him like a shroud.

Get the Death Eaters into Hogwarts.

Kill Albus Dumbledore.

He was no closer now than he had been at the start of term over six months ago. Time was running out. Time was slipping through his fingers like grains of sand. Time was swirling away into the darkness of each night like the wind currently blowing around Hogwarts.

It had been a dark miserable day and the night was just the same. The wind had picked up, rattling the windows, creeping beneath the cracks at the bottom of the doors and howling around the castle like a soul in torment.

At least, Draco figured that would have been the description he'd read in a novel. What would novel writers know about a soul in torment anyway? He knew. He alone knew what a soul in torment was like. His soul was in torment now. It made him shiver and shake and sweat and panic and kept him up at night; but it didn't howl.

Through the window, Draco could see the Whomping Willow bending dangerously, battered by the wind, fallen leaves spun upwards into mini tornados dancing wildly across the court yard and the branches of nearby trees swayed madly back and forth.

Draco drew his knees closer to his chest, his mouth turning down at the corners. The wind wailed mournfully and Draco felt the echo inside him. He wanted to wail too. A part of him wanted to rush down into the court yard and scream out his fear into the wind where it would be swallowed up as if it had never been. For a moment, Draco felt he couldn't breathe, as if the wind had somehow seeped through the glass and clutched at his throat; he tried valiantly to push away his fear, but it didn't work. It never worked. Fear was his constant companion and nothing would shift it.

There was a sudden movement to his left. Looking up, Draco blinked in surprise when a girl appeared, long dirty blonde hair hanging down her back and a sheaf of parchment in her hand. She turned to look at him, wide spaced pale silvery eyes showing mild surprise at seeing him sitting there.

"Oh, hello."

Draco glowered. "Loony Lovegood.

"Luna, actually."

He decided not to dignify her words with a response. He figured if he ignored her she would probably just go away. He failed to take into account that Luna Lovegood was used to being ignored. She stayed. And stayed. And stayed.

And Draco felt his shoulders relax a fraction. Luna didn't speak, she just stood near his feet looking over the darkened grounds. The window whistled as the wind made another circuitous route around the castle.

Luna rubbed her hands along her arms. "Wind always makes me feel cold."

At least it wasn't just him, Draco thought.

"It's like it gets inside me somehow."

Draco, who had been absently following the curve of his shoe with his eyes, looked up sharply, a slight colour touching his cheeks as the thought of being inside her flashed across his brain. He'd never really thought about her before, unless she happened to be right in front of him and a particularly biting comment came to mind.

"Uh huh."

Her eyes flickered to his face. "Are you ok, Draco? You look a bit peaked."

Funny, how she was the only one to notice. Not one of his so called friends seemed aware anything was wrong with him and Draco knew it wasn't down to his marvellous acting skills. He was sharp and cross and short with everyone; ruder than he usually was, but they all just accepted it as a matter of course and didn't bother to ask if he was all right. Not even Pansy and she was supposed to have feelings, of a sort, for him.

"I've got something on my mind, that's all."

It was hardly a confession of major proportions but it made Draco feel a little lighter. It didn't occur to him to feel guilt or shame at her kindness when he had done nothing but belittle and ridicule her. She was showing concern and Draco lapped it up like a grateful puppy.

"You know what they say, a problem shared."

Draco snorted. As if he would ever consider taking advice from Loony Lovegood.

"It must be a very big problem to worry you so much, Draco."

"Mind your own business," he snapped, getting swiftly to his feet. He didn't want to sit there with her poking and prodding at him; too much sweetness and kindness from her might well be his undoing. Draco wanted to unburden himself, he wanted the pleasure of showing Luna the Dark Mark and throwing his mission in her face just so that, for a moment, there would be somebody else at Hogwarts as terrified as he was. But she would go running to Potter and Dumbledore and his mother's life, already balancing precariously on the edge, would tumble over into the abyss of death and he'd never catch her before the light left her eyes forever.

Unconsciously, Draco squared his shoulders to better steady the weary load he was carrying. It was a load far too heavy for his young shoulders, a load he had rushed headlong to accept without fully weighing out the consequences. Not that it really mattered. He could hardly have refused the Dark Lord.

"Draco, if something is bothering you..."

"Nothing is bothering me," he retorted rudely.

Luna wasn't fazed. "You should talk to Professor Snape. That's what your head of house is for, you know."

Draco almost laughed. Talking to Snape wouldn't do him any good. Snape was already hounding him, always wanting to know what he was doing and where he was going and how far along he was. All Snape wanted was to steal the glory that was going to be his; although now Draco thought he wouldn't mind Snape taking over and having the glory if he could just get rid of this awful dragging fear which ate at him day and night.

And, he thought bitterly, he had nobody to care about him except the school lunatic.

He tried to push past her but Luna caught his arm, causing Draco to wrench himself free and reel away from her. It was his Dark Mark arm. He couldn't have her touching his Dark Mark arm. Common sense told him there was no way Luna could know he had the Dark Mark unless he told her; but she was odd, weird, a complete loon, she might sense it somehow. He knew it wasn't possible, and yet Draco couldn't help but sort of believe anything out of the ordinary about her.

Luna gave him a strange look and blinked slowly. "Draco, are you ok?"

The wind picked up, clamouring at the walls as his fear for his life, and now his irrational fear of her, began to clamour against the walls of his mind. Did she know? He wondered wildly. Had she somehow guessed?

She didn't know. She couldn't know. Draco knew it, but still he panicked. She took a step towards him, her hand came out to touch him again and Draco grasped her shoulders, pushing her forcefully against the wall and pinning her there.

"Leave me alone," he hissed through clenched teeth.

Her breath left her in a short gasp and her eyes somehow grew rounder and larger. "I was only trying to help. You look so sad and frightened. I .... ow," she winced as his fingers bit painfully into her shoulders.

"I am not frightened."

"As you like," she said amiably. "But you are sad, Draco."

He could feel his jaw quiver and Draco was appalled. If he didn't watch himself he'd break down and cry in front of her. He couldn't do that. He needed to stay strong. The only way to get through his mission in one piece, to ensure his mother survived the year, was to stay strong.

"No. I'm not."

"I think you are. I know about being sad. I know sad when I see it. And you're it, Draco."

"Just...." Draco trailed off, why oh why did she have to be nice to him. Why did she have to look at him with such soft eyes and such a gentle, encouraging curl to her lips. Why couldn't she just leave him be.

She had such a gentle mouth, with pale pink lips parted ever so slightly. It probably wasn't an invitation but the keening lament of the wind seemed to resonate in his lonely soul, so he lowered his mouth over hers.

To say Luna was startled by the turn of events was an understatement. She'd never been this close to a boy before never mind kissed by one, yet here she was, pinned to the wall by Draco Malfoy being thoroughly kissed. Her body was ablaze even as shiver ran through her. His kiss was demanding, desperate, greedy and it consumed her, sending her to dizzying heights.

His tongue crashed against hers and Draco discovered what forgetfulness tasted like. She wiped everything from his mind. She wiped the fear from his soul and he was hungry for more. His hands tangled in her hair tipping her head back for a better angle and as the wind roared against the glass, his blood roared in his ears.

Pulse beating frantically at her throat, Luna reached blindly for him, the sheaf of parchment she held slipping from her fingers and fluttering about the floor. She pulled him closer with a soft sound which made his body surge towards her, taking the kiss deeper.

He suddenly caught the back of her thighs and her back slid up the wall as she was lifted to his hips. Automatically, Luna's legs clamped around his waist and he fell neatly into the cradle of her hips. His hands covered her breasts where her nipples were already hard points beneath the pad of his thumbs and Luna made a little mewling sound as his thumbs touched to her.

His lips brushed her throat, breath warm on her skin and Luna's eyes closed, body bathed in flames and her breaths came in ragged spurts.

Draco's hips ground against her, he was hard and thick and heavy between her legs and Luna gasped, fingers curling through his hair, pulling his head back so she could kiss him again with unchecked fervour. Fingers clawing at the back of his neck, she rode his body blindly, even through their clothes the friction against her core was enough to make Luna moan and ache.

He was losing control; Draco could feel it slipping away from him. His groan was like the wind groaning at the castle door, her moan was like the wind moaning to be let in; except there was nothing preventing him as the doors and walls prevented the wind from entering.

Hand dipping between them, Draco unzipped his trousers and before he quite knew what was happening he had breached her. She was hot, wet and tight around him and Draco groaned, surging forward for more, the sound escaping her lips one of pain rather than pleasure at the pressure of the alien intrusion into her body.

Luna enjoyed losing herself in books, always alone, wanting a friend more than anything else, it was not unexpected that romance novels captured her imagination. She often read of beautiful heroines and dashing hero's and of course, ultimately, the dashing hero ended up "taking" the beautiful heroine in throws of ecstasy.

She was not a beautiful heroine and Draco Malfoy was certainly no dashing hero, and what she felt at present, pain and pressure giving way to discomfort, could not be considered throws of ecstasy; but she understood now what it meant to be "taken". There could be no other word to describe the deep, hard thrusts he gave her as his fingers dug into her flesh, holding on tightly as though he were afraid of losing her. Luna could feel his desperation in the taunt line of his shoulders and the urgency in which he moved.

Pleasure washed over Draco in swirls and eddies. She was so soft and warm, a stark contrast to everything else in his life. She took him over, consumed him, pushed the darkness and fear from his soul and he let himself drown in her, his need driving him.

The wind had picked up considerably, a powerful force baying and squalling in the storm tossed night. The wind raged against the castle; it was a violent night and Draco's desperation to feel something good seemed to spark the violence in his veins and he moved inside her with an almost single minded determinedness; with a forceful, unrestrained passion Draco could never have guessed he could feel and would be unleashed with Luna Lovegood.

There was still discomfort, but it began to melt away into pleasure as the fierce, savage thrust of Draco's hips not only hit something satisfying inside her, but his pubic bone hit her at just the right angle to provide a delicious friction which set her nerves to tingling and her blood skyrocketing through her body.

His breath came in harsh pants against her ear and her name fell from his lips in an agonising groan tinged with reverence. Luna clung to him, pressing her lips to his neck, sucking the flesh into her mouth to stifle her cry of release when her body convulsed.

A strangled sound left Draco as he shuddered in her arms and then went still.

Luna's fingers eased their tight hold on him, wandering to his nape, stroking gently, and while the wind continued its rampage, for the first time in what felt like a lifetime, enveloped in the soft warmth of Luna Lovegood, Draco felt safe.

 

 

 


	11. Snowing Heavily

 

Luna loved the snow; especially a heavy snowfall. She loved how clean everything looked; how soft and pure; like the world was made new again. The snow had been falling all day and night and now everything was covered in a blanket of white. Luna made her slow way around the grounds of Hogwarts, taking great pains to step in the footprints of those who had come before her. Unlike the others who had been unable to resist making their mark in the freshly fallen snow, Luna disliked disturbing the snow. She did enjoy making snow angels and snowmen, and she liked that crunchy sound when her foot broke through the layer of top frost, but everything seemed so much nicer when the snow was left intact.

It was a pale day, the clouds full with snow waiting to fall. Icicles hung from the window sills, the eaves and the bare branches of the trees; some long and thin, others short and chunky. They wavered in the weak light, distorting the world like bubbled glass.

Luna paused to survey the surrounding countryside; hills and valleys, fields and dales, all where white and serene like a blessing with frost glinting like fairy dust. She took a deep breath; clean and fresh and she smiled and tried wiggling her nose, it had gone rather cold. She rubbed at it with a hand all tucked up in a warm blue glove.

She smiled when she spotted the gently drifting flakes of snow; she did like to watch the snow falling. Luna didn't hurry as she turned the corner and headed to the court yard, she still hopped from footprint to footprint, taking the time to stop and examine the snowflakes which landed on her gloves, marvelling at the delicate designs.

Arriving in the court yard, Luna stopped short, eyebrows drawing together in a disapproving frown. Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle and Draco Malfoy were laughing uproariously while pelting some poor unfortunate soul with snowballs.

Bullies. They were nothing but bullies. Harry would deal with them if he were around. But there was no sign of Harry Potter. He was probably with Hermione and Ron in the Gryffindor common room; the school was unusually quiet, most students were probably in their common rooms with their friends. She didn't have many friends but she was making some through Harry and Dumbledore's Army and people hadn't been so insistent on teasing her this year, not now she was friends, of a sort, with Harry Potter. She did so enjoy the meetings of Dumbledore's Army, and wasn't Dumbledore's Army about making a stand? Luna squared her shoulders, and brought her wand from behind her ear; if anyone deserved a taste of their own medicine it was these three.

Luna flicked her wand; her snowballs hurtled through the space between her and the three Slytherin's. Unfortunately, Draco Malfoy moved, she would have rather liked to have seen him with a face full of snow, but she hit Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle.

They roared and spluttered and Draco Malfoy laughed, looking around to see who had thrown them. The boy they had been teasing disappeared at the sudden reprieve and Draco stared incredulously at Luna, letting out a shout and ducking as another round of snowballs came at them.

He rose from a crouch glaring at her and brandishing his wand. The hulking shape of Crabbe to his left stepped forward and Draco threw out an arm to stop him. "Go on, I'll handle this."

Goyle wiped again at his face. "You sure, Malfoy?"

Draco nodded. "Go on. I'll see you in the common room later." He waited while Crabbe and Goyle went into the school, his grey eyes locked on Luna Lovegood. She didn't move or speak, she appeared to be waiting too. "You know I can take house points from you for that," Draco reminded her when they were alone.

"Yes I know. You took points from Ron because his shirt was untucked, that seems rather a small infraction to snowballing you." Luna rolled her shoulders in a shrug, placing her wand back behind her ear and closing the distance between them. "You were bad enough when you were just a Prefect," her finger ran down the length of the tiny silver I pinned to the front of his coat, "but now you're in the Inquisitorial Squad, you're down right impossible."

Just a fraction, if she had let her finger move downwards for just a fraction more she'd have been touching him. She was so close to him now Draco could feel her body heat. He'd never been this close to her before; he'd like to be closer. He'd never been alone with her before; he'd like to be somewhere warmer and more intimate than the court yard, but that couldn't be helped.

Her cheeks were pink from the cold and her long, dirty blonde hair hung over her shoulders from the bottom of a purple bobble hat which was now studded with tiny flakes of snow. She blinked up at him, her dark lashes making momentary crescents on her cheeks.

Draco's throat was tight; "bad enough" and "downright impossible" not exactly the sort of phrases he wanted to hear pass her lips when she spoke about him. Although, he knew she was right, he was both those things.

The snow drifted around them, picking up speed and she brushed a flake from her cheek. "Well? Are you going to dock house points from me?"

He would dock five points, ten points, one hundred points, every single point Ravenclaw had, or he would award her points, as many as she liked, if she would only see him as he saw her. She was running around with Potter, he knew she was, although he couldn't quite prove it yet, nor had he managed to discover just what their relationship was all about. It drove Draco crazy; just one more way for bloody Scarhead to triumph, and Potter wouldn't even know he was winning.

"No," Draco said shortly."Not this time." He was satisfied to see her eyes widened in surprise. Let her see he too could be the good guy, it wasn't just Potter.

To Draco's disappointment, Luna didn't reply, instead she tipped her head back, eyes narrowing against the fat snowflakes, falling thicker and heavier now. The snow covered her cheeks, catching on her eyelids and lashes and she blinked rapidly; she made such a pretty picture that the blood drained from Draco's head and he took a steadying breath.

"Umbridge is absolutely awful. And she only allows Slytherin's into her Squad because she knows they'll abuse their power just the way she does."

Draco glowered, the very first time he got to have a conversation with her, just the two of them, and it certainly wasn't going the way he had always imagined it would. He wasn't saying anything witty or charming and she showed no sign of being interested or impressed with him.

"I just said I'm not docking you house points," Draco snapped.

"Yes, I heard you. I was just making an observation." Luna rubbed at her nose again. "There should be a little muffler for your nose when it's cold, don't you think? Like ear muffs, but for your nose," she added when he didn't immediately respond.

Unsure of just how to answer such a statement, Draco simply said, "Uh huh."

He wasn't wearing a hat and the snow landing in his hair was cold and wet, but Draco was willing to suffer and risk catching a cold if it meant prolonging his alone time with her. A sudden smile curled her lips, her eyes on his hair and Draco fidgeted, resisting the urge to touch his hair or ask what was wrong.

"You look like you have crystals in your hair," Luna observed. "You're so blonde that it looks quite natural. It's a very pretty effect."

"Pretty" wasn't the word he would have chosen for her description of him, but it was better than "impossible." Draco held his breath, hoping she would say more words he could horde and bask in when he lay in bed without her.

"When you aren't being petty and mean, you're not nearly so bad." She let out a little sigh, watching her breath pluming white in the air.

"Oh." Draco couldn't hide his disappointment, he felt as though he'd opened a brightly wrapped present on his birthday to discover an empty box. She thought so little of him when he couldn't stop thinking about her.

A flash of anger flared; hadn't she noticed this year was different? Hadn't she noticed the Slytherin's didn't bother her the way they had in the past? It was down to him, he'd put the word out she was too easy a target and nobody wanted to run the risk of having Draco Malfoy ridicule them in the middle of the common room so they let her be. He took care of her, but she didn't know about it. Draco longed to tell her and see the shift in her eyes which told him Luna finally saw him for what he could be to her, but she didn't notice. She didn't notice him. He was invisible to her and it hurt. He wanted her to see, if only for a moment; but she was turning away, stepping around him ready to leave.

Draco's hand shot out to grab her wrist, pulling her close. The intoxicating scent of her assailed him and the deluge of longing he had to fight to keep at bay would not be stopped.

Luna looked at him, curiosity melting into surprise when she met his blazing eyes. Before she had time to fully register his intent never mind figure out what her response was going to be, Draco's hand cupped her cheek, his lips brushing hers, settling, clinging, melding. A flush of warmth spread through him, spearing from his finger tips to the tips of his toes and Draco luxuriated in it.

With the snow falling gently around them, beading prettily in her hair and the quiet hush which always snuggled around the world in the snow, Draco figured he couldn't have planned a more perfect moment.

Surprise and shock caused her to grab hold of the front of his coat to keep steady. The warmth of his lips made Luna's own lips tingle and she let out a shuddering breath when his mouth lifted from hers.

Draco's mind scrabbled as he tried to think of something to say. In his fantasies words were never needed, but the reality was somewhat different. He realised that an explanation would be expected after just kissing her out of the blue like that.

Of course, he momentarily forgot just who it was he was dealing with.

"Oh dear, I think you may have wrackspurts, Draco."

"I have what?"

"Wrackspurts. They float in your ears and make your brain go fuzzy."

Digging into the collar of her coat Luna produced a necklace with a strange looking charm dangling from it. She gave a little shiver and pulled the collar closer to her ears; Draco guessed a rogue snowflake had found its way to her bare neck. He wet his lips slowly at the thought of her bare neck.

"Here you go." Luna offered him the necklace and Draco automatically took it. "It's not as effective as the charm to keep away nargles, but it does a pretty good job. You can keep it, I have another one." She rubbed at her nose again and sniffed, turning away and with a hop, skip and a jump she landed undercover and stamped her feet to get rid of the excess snow on her boots.

Draco followed her, clutching the necklace in his woollen palm. Draco kicked his shoes against the wall to rid them of snow. He still couldn't think of anything to say and was about to ask her to go into more detail about wrackspurts, even though he gave no credence whatsoever to their existence, when he realised she hadn't stopped but was heading into the school.

"Hot chocolate with little melted marshmallows," she was murmuring as she walked away without even saying goodbye to him.

Draco watched her leave, unable to believe he had actually kissed her and right out there in the open for anyone to see; and there must be students perched in the windows watching the snow coming down. Draco looked out across the court yard, the light had faded considerably and visibility was poor; anyone watching them may have figured out it was him, but Luna had been sufficiently covered, nobody would know he had kissed her and she had walked away from him. The snow was coming down thicker and faster now, covering the tracks Crabbe and Goyle had made. Draco experienced a sharp pang in the centre of his chest, very soon his footprints and Luna's would be covered too, made invisible, as though they had never been; just like their kiss.

 

 

 

 


	12. Raining All Day (E)

 

The rain hadn't let up all day. Sometimes it came down in torrents, lashing against the window, smudging the glass. Other times it drizzled, so fine it barely seemed like rain at all. All day it rained.

The clouds were grey and heavy blotting out the light but it wasn't windy or particularly cold. Still, the blue flames flickered merrily in their glass jars, spreading fingers of warmth across the old wooden flooring of the attic room.

It was Luna's room, one of many spaces she had found in which to be alone during her time in Hogwarts. Even though she didn't have many friends, Luna sought solace from her fellow students, they did so like to tease and whilst it was all in good fun, sometimes it got to be a little much.

This particular attic room was at the far end of the school, at the opposite corner to Professor Trelawney's classroom. Luna had made it nice with some throw pillows and blankets, she liked to lie there and look out of the one rounded window at the sky and examine the clouds or count the stars.

Lying on his stomach, head pillowed on his arms, Draco let out a soft sigh as Luna's hands stroked along his back, curling around his shoulders, kneading firmly. His mind drifted and he remembered the very first time she had brought him here. He had literally bumped into her in the corridor almost knocking her off her feet, but he had caught her in time, not just before she fell but before she went following the screams to Amycus Carrow's classroom where he was carrying out detention and made things worse. Draco remembered holding on to her barely able to get the words out through his tight throat and she had seen something in his face, she had known he was trying so hard not to break and she had chosen to stay with him. In that moment she had allowed him to help her when he couldn't help those in Carrow's classroom; and she had helped him too.

She had taken his hand and brought him here, far away from prying eyes where he could breathe. He had sat on the cushions and she had knelt beside him and somehow he had found the space against her neck where his head fit and she had stroked his hair and murmured softly as it all came spilling from him; everything he had done, everything that would happen, everything he was powerless to prevent.

In that moment he had become hers.

In a short space of time she had become his too, and now they crept away to their corner of Hogwarts as often as possible to be together and create their own little world where there was only comfort and warmth and pleasure.

Draco sighed again when Luna leant forward wiggling around a little to get comfortable as she lay across him like a warm blanket of silk, the softness of her breasts pressing into the hard planes of his back.

Her hands drifted up his arm, seeking and finding the Dark Mark, tracing the skull and snake with the tips of her fingers, her lips brushing his shoulder as she rubbed against the crest of his behind. She was wet and warm against his skin, the blanket beneath him wet from the liquid seeping from his cock created just the right maddening amount of friction from the rocking of her hips that she was experiencing. She licked at the shell of his ear, placed a kiss just beneath it, her breath gusting against his neck causing the fine hairs to stand up and a shiver to run down his spine.

In a mad dark world, Luna was his safe haven. He couldn't go a day without meeting her in their room, even if it was just to hold her and kiss her; Draco was pretty sure he was getting obsessed with Luna. It was just his way, he became obsessive and protective over the things he liked and he liked Luna a lot. He tried to protect her, but she wouldn't listen to him. She insisted on teaming up with Ginny Weasley and that idiot Longbottom to fight against the Carrow's. More and more students were taking a stand, not that Draco blamed them in the slightest, but he didn't want Luna to get hurt and he couldn't help her.

His parents remained at Malfoy Manor surrounded by Death Eaters and with the Dark Lord popping in and out whenever it suited him. Draco couldn't risk their lives by helping her. Luna understood his predicament and had softly told him that if he wanted to distance himself from her then she would understand. The thought of letting her go had never crossed Draco's mind. He wasn't used to denying himself anything he wanted and he wanted Luna.

A soft sound of pleasure left her, vibrating in his ear and Draco's eyes closed to savour it. Her lips touched to his neck covering his nape and shoulders in sweet open mouthed kisses. Draco bit his lower lip, face darkening and contracting in response.

"Draco, turn over."

Her voice was more breath than anything else and Draco felt his nerves stretching tighter beneath the skin. Luna shifted enough for him to twist onto his back and he let out a low groan as she caught his cock in her palm and lowered herself onto him.

His hands flew to the small of her back, pressing her downwards until she lay across his chest, hot skin to hot skin. She caught his face in her hands and kissed him, her tongue leisurely stroking his as she moved languidly against him. She took his bottom lip into her mouth, sucking gently before angling her mouth over his again and kissing him deeply, making him moan.

She kissed the corner of his mouth and dropped her head to his shoulder, nibbling on his collar bone as his hands drifted up her rib cage, his thumb tracing the curve of her breast, his touch urging her to lift up a fraction so he could stroke the hard point of her nipples. Luna pressed a kiss to his throat, smiling when Draco made an almost sleepy sound of contentment.

The rain drummed on the roof and pattered against the window, mingling and echoing with their soft moans, filling the quiet space they had created. There was nothing Luna loved more than being with Draco, when she felt her heart beat in time with his and they were so wrapped up together it was hard to know where he ended and she began; especially when he looked at her as he did now, his smoky grey eyes telling her in this very moment he had everything he needed.

Luna felt being with Draco was the perfect way to spend a rainy day.


End file.
